Seedy, Cheesy Gougères

Makes 2 dozen

1 cup milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 cup + 2 tablespoons grated Gruyère cheese
1/3 cup mixed seeds (poppy, sunflower, and sesame)
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for finishing

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the milk, butter, and salt in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan and set it over medium heat.  Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring as you go, until the mixture comes together in a ball and leaves a film on the spoon.

Immediately transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for a few minutes to let it cool slightly. Add 4 of the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each. It’ll look a bit wet at first but keep beating and it will smooth out. Add 1 cup of the cheese and beat until combined.

Spoon the dough into a pastry bag with a wide tip (or use a Ziplock bag and snip the corner) and pipe large dollops (about 2 tablespoons each) of the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (I used a Silpat).

Beat the remaining egg and brush it onto the tops. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese, the flaky salt, and the seeds evenly over the dough.

Bake for about 20-24 minutes, until puffy and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Chicory Salad with Maple-Roasted Squash and Blue Cheese

I’d never really considered the winter salad until I lived in California and discovered an entire universe of cold weather greens, including chicories, which take many forms, from frilly frisée to bitter, deep fuschia radicchio.

Of course, winter is when you need salad the most, when your body is longing for something crunchy and refreshing to combat the rich braises and other stick-to-your-ribs foods our lizard brain demands when it’s cold. I like to load my salads with flavor and texture. Here, the bitterness of the chicories is countered by maple-roasted squash and red onions, whose sweetness is in turn balanced by the blue cheese. A final sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds adds crunch.

If yours is the kind of family that allows new additions to the Thanksgiving table from year to year, consider making this salad part of the feast.

 Serves 6

 ½ cup pumpkin seeds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium delicata squash, peeled, seeded, halved and cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon whole grain mustard

3 tablespoons red wine or Sherry wine vinegar

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

8 cups mixed chicories, such as Treviso, radicchio, frisée or castelfranco, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pumpkin seeds in a small cast iron frying pan or rimmed baking sheet, transfer to the oven and bake until lightly toasted, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and season the seeds with a pinch of salt.

 Put the sliced squash and onion wedges in a large bowl, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, spread in a single layer and bake, turning once, until the squash is tender and golden brown on both sides and the onion wedges are soft and slightly frizzled, about 30 minutes. Drizzle with the maple syrup and bake 5 minutes more, until the squash and onions are lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and let cool. The squash and onions can be roasted in advance; if making the salad within a few hours, leave them at room temperature. Otherwise, let cool at room temperature, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before using.

 While the squash roasts, make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, a pinch of salt and some pepper and the vinegar. Whisk in the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.

Put the chicories in a large salad bowl. Add the roasted squash and onions, the blue cheese and the pumpkin seeds, pour the dressing over, and toss gently with your hands to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper and serve.

Tarte Tatin

Makes one 10-inch tart

This apple tart is one of my very favorite things to bake (and eat). I learned the recipe for this French classic, fittingly, when I was living in France. I’d tasted versions of it before, but it wasn’t until I was taught to make it by Anne Willan that I really understood how amazing it could be. The key to this recipe is to cook the caramel until it’s a deep brown, so dark that you think you might be on the verge of totally f&*%ing it up.

At that moment, you quickly lower the heat and add the apples to the pan. The most miraculous thing happens—the juice from the apples stops the caramel from burning and becoming acrid, and, over the next thirty minutes, the apples continue to release their juices while sucking up the caramel. By the time you pull the pan from the stove and add the pastry, the apple halves are jewel-like, mahogany, and the apple juice-fortified caramel is sticky and complex. After making this tart more times than I can count, I’ve noticed that the variety of apple you use makes a difference. Most firm-tart varieties will work, but Granny Smiths seem to get especially mushy, so I avoid those.

The dessert is a showstopper and, I think, handily kicks apple pie to the curb. I like to serve wedges of it topped with tangy crème fraîche. The caramel can make the pastry soggy if it sits for a while, so I recommend eating this on the same day it’s made.

For the dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup ice-cold water

For the apples:

5 pounds sweet-tart firm apples (about 12), such as Pink Lady or Braeburn (avoid Granny Smiths)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Homemade Crème Fraîche
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cultured buttermilk or plain yogurt

Make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in
the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are about half the size of a pea. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Peel the apples: With a melon baller, scoop out the stem and blossom ends. Halve the apple and use the melon baller to scoop out the cores. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or other high-sided ovenproof frying pan over medium heat and add the sugar. Cook without stirring until the mixture begins to brown at its edges, then stir gently and continue cooking until the caramel is a deep golden brown, about 6 minutes more. This takes some courage; you want the caramel to be very dark but not scorched. As it approaches the correct color, reduce the heat to low and put a spoon along the edge of the pan with the bowl of the spoon facing down. Arrange the apple halves in concentric circles, leaning the first apple half against the spoon so it doesn’t topple over. Pack the apples as tightly as possible, cutting some into wedges to fill in the gaps, as they will shrink during cooking.

Increase the heat to medium and cook until the apples begin to exude their juices (this will be fairly obvious, as the level of caramel in the pan will rise to almost halfway up each piece of apple), about 6 minutes, then raise the heat to medium high and cook until the undersides of the apples are deeply caramelized and tender but not mushy and the juices are sticky and thickened, about 10 to 12 minutes more. Using two spoons, turn the apple halves one at a time so the upper sides are now down in the caramel. Continue cooking until this second side is caramelized and almost all the juice has evaporated and what remains in the pan is syrupy, about 10 minutes longer. The apples should be tender but not mushy. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

On a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle and trim the edges. Set the pastry on top of the apples, tucking the pastry edges down into the pan, then cut a few steam vents in the pastry. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then invert a large, rimmed plate on top of the tart and flip the tart onto the plate. Let cool until warm (or cool completely and rewarm in a low oven before serving), then cut into wedges and serve with big spoonfuls of crème fraîche.

Make the Crème Fraîche (makes about 1 cup): Though it’s no longer terribly difficult to find crème fraîche at the grocery store (I have even seen it at Costco), making it at home is easy and inexpensive. Tangy and thick, it’s an excellent companion to the tarte tatin.

Combine the cream and buttermilk or yogurt in a clean glass jar. Cover and let stand at room temperature about 10 to 12 hours, until thickened. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Chewy Molasses Cookies

Yield: 16 cookies

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the molasses and egg until combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined.

Pour some sanding sugar or granulated sugar on a plate. With your hands, roll the dough into balls slightly larger than a golf ball (about 2 ounces; if the dough is sticking to your hands, wet them), then roll each ball in sugar to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and use the bottom of a juice glass to gently flatten each cookie. Bake, rotating the pans midway through the baking time, until flattened and cracked on top, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely.

Cognac Punch

Makes 12 to 14 drinks

1 (750 ml) bottle cognac, cold
12½ ounces apple juice, cold
6¼ ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice, cold
6¼ ounces apricot liqueur, cold
½ ounce Angostura bitters
Lemon wheels and cinnamon sticks, for garnish

In a punch bowl combine the cognac, apple and lemon juices, apricot liqueur and bitters and mix to combine. Add the ice, then pour in the sparkling wine, if using, and garnish with lemon wheels and cinnamon sticks.

Cognac Punch for One

2 ounces cognac, cold
1 ounce apple juice, cold
½ ounce apricot liqueur, cold
½ ounce lemon juice, cold
½ bar spoon (or 1 full dropper) Angostura bitters
Sparkling wine, for topping off glass (optional)
Lemon wheel, for garnish

In a mixing glass, add all ingredients, fill with ice, close and shake hard. Strain into a 10-ounce glass filled with fresh ice, top with sparkling wine, if using, and garnish with a lemon wheel.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Rolls

Makes 2 dozen

These plush, golden-hued rolls are perfect vehicles for soft butter, though they’re sturdy enough that you can use them to make miniature turkey sandwiches. If you want freshly baked rolls on Thanksgiving day but don’t want to do all the work on the big day, prepare the rolls up to the point of the second rise, then wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let the rolls rise at room temperature for a few hours, then bake.

¾ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

½ cup lukewarm whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan and brushing

2 large eggs, plus 1 egg for egg wash

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2¼ teaspoons instant yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 to 4¼ cups all-purpose flour

Nigella or poppy seeds, for sprinkling (optional)

Flaky salt, such as Maldon, for sprinking

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon) combine the pumpkin puree, milk, butter, 2 of the eggs, brown sugar, yeast and salt and mix to combine.

With the mixer on low (or with a wooden spoon) gradually add the 4 cups flour until it has all been incorporated. The dough will be slightly sticky; if it’s very sticky, add additional flour by the tablespoonful. Mix for 5 minutes more, then transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1½ hours.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch round pans) with butter. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, with a bench scraper or knife, cut into 24 pieces (each should be slightly larger than a golf ball; about 40 grams, if you’re using a scale).

Working with one piece at a time, cup your hand over the dough, letting the heel of your hand rest gently on your dough and your fingers form a cage around it. Apply some light pressure to the piece of dough while simultaneously rotating your hand clockwise. The dough should catch on the work surface and tighten into a smooth ball. If you have too much flour on your work surface, the dough won’t catch so much as slide around; too little, and the dough balls will not so much catch as they will stick. Transfer each ball to the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until the balls are crowded against one another and very puffy, 1½ to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush the egg wash over the rolls and sprinkle each roll with the seeds, if using, and a pinch of flaky salt. Bake the rolls until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, tenting the pan with foil at the end of the baking time if the tops are getting too dark. Remove from the oven and drizzle or brush with melted butter, if desired. Serve warm.

The rolls are best eaten the same day they are baked, but will keep, well wrapped at room temperature, for a day or two; rewarm before eating.

Braised Turkey With Prunes, Shallots and Sage

Serves 10

The fundamental challenge of roasting a whole turkey is that the breast is always done before the legs. If you can free your mind from the Rockwellian image of carving a whole bird table side, you’re going to have a much better Thanksgiving dinner. Braising the dark meat softens the connective tissue in the meat until it’s fork tender and as succulent as pulled pork (really!). Any leftover meat can be shredded and used for turkey hash, or tossed with pappardelle for a very elegant pasta.

6 bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs (about 5 pounds)

4 turkey drumsticks (about 3 pounds)

Kosher salt and black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

4 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 cup dry white wine

5 fresh sage sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

6 to 8 cups turkey or chicken stock

2 pounds shallots, peeled

2 cups pitted prunes

Red wine vinegar, to taste

Instructions: You’ll need either a very large oven-safe Dutch oven or braiser for this recipe. If you don’t have them, use two high-sided saute pans, or one high-sided saute pan and one Dutch oven, or even a heavy-duty roasting pan spanning two burners.

Remove the turkey drumsticks and thighs from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Season the pieces on both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey thighs skin-side down in the cold, ungreased pan or pans in a single layer.

Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the turkey skin has rendered its fat and is nut brown, about 8 minutes; at this point, the thighs should peel easily from the pan (if they do not, it’s likely because they are not sufficiently browned; avoid the urge to force them, which will cause the skin to tear). Turn the pieces and cook on the second side until lightly browned, for another 3 to 4 minutes. With tongs, transfer the browned thighs to a rimmed baking sheet and add the drumsticks to the pan; cook, turning, until they are browned all over, about 8 minutes, then add to the pan with the thighs.

Reduce the heat to medium. There will likely be rendered fat remaining in the pan, but if not, add a few tablespoons of olive oil, followed by the carrots, celery and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring, until the liquid has nearly evaporated, then drop in the sage sprigs. Return the turkey pieces to the pan, skin-side up in a single layer, and pour in turkey stock until the turkey pieces are three-quarters submerged (if you’re preparing this in two pans, simply divide the ingredients in half, cooking half in one pan and half in the other). Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the stock to a boil.

Cut a parchment paper circle to the same circumference of your pan. Cut a small hole in the center of the circle. Set the parchment circle directly on top of the turkey, then cover the pan with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Transfer to the oven and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, checking after the first 30 minutes to ensure the stock is bubbling gently; if it’s bubbling ferociously, decrease the heat to 300 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven, uncover, and add the shallots and prunes, pushing them down beneath the liquid. Recover the pan, return to the oven and continue cooking for 45 minutes more, until the turkey meat is very tender and the shallots are soft.

With a large spoon, transfer the turkey pieces, the shallots and the prunes to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Pour the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or fat separator. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim the fat that has risen to the top and discard. Transfer the juices to a saucepan, add the minced sage, bring to a boil and boil until slightly reduced. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or a dash of red wine vinegar to taste. Alternately, you can use this ultra-rich stock for making traditional gravy.

Spoon some of the juices over the turkey and pour the rest into a gravy boat and serve alongside.

Make-ahead note: The braise can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Let cool completely, then refrigerate (with the meat still in the braising liquid, otherwise it will dry out). Rewarm in a 300 degree oven until heated through, then strain and reduce the braising liquid as instructed above.

Cake Salé with Mortadella and Green Olives

Consider this recipe a template—you can substitute the mortadella with ham, salami, cooked bacon (or omit it altogether for a vegetarian version), swap the provolone for another cheese, use black olives in place of green (brined or oil-packed are both fine), add dried fruit or nuts, replace the scallions with chives. If you choose to use provolone, look for aged provolone, called provolone picante, which is sharp and salty; the sliced variety used for sandwiches doesn’t have a sufficiently assertive character.

 Makes one 9x5-inch loaf

 Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup finely chopped scallions (about 5)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large eggs

4 ounces mortadella, diced into 1/3-inch cubes (1 cup)

3 ounces provolone piccante, grated (1½ cups)

½ cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives

 Preheat the oven to 350F and arrange a rack in the center. Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, scallions, thyme, baking powder, salt, baking soda, pepper and red pepper flakes. In a separate medium bowl or measuring cup whisk together the buttermilk, olive oil, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a rubber spatula to combine. Fold in the mortadella, 1 cup of the grated provolone and the olives until well combined, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup provolone evenly over the top.

 Transfer to the centered oven rack and bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out of the pan and let cool completely. Because the cake contains a large amount of olive oil it will keep, well wrapped at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or can be sliced and frozen for longer storage (up to one month). Leftover slices are especially good toasted, or the bread can be cubed, toasted and used as croutons.

One-Pot Miso Chicken and Rice

This is a quick braise that I make often. If you don’t have bone-in thighs, you can use boneless (just cook it for a shorter amount of time). If you don’t eat chicken, use tofu. If you don’t have red miso, try it with white. No sushi rice? Try arborio or another variety of short grain rice. No chicken stock? Dissolve some of that same miso in hot water for a quick miso broth.

Serves 4

 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons red miso, divided

10 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1½ cups sushi rice

1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt. In a measuring cup, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the miso with ½ cup hot water. Set aside.

 In a cold, ovenproof high-sided frying pan with a lid (or a Dutch oven) place the chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer. Turn the heat to medium. Cook the thighs without turning or disturbing until they pull away from the pan easily and the skin is a deep nut brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Using tongs, turn each piece (if it’s sticking and you’re wrestling it from the pan, wait another minute and try again) and cook on the second side until browned, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a rimmed plate and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they’re wilted and softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the green onions, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more.

 Add the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the chicken stock, then give the miso mixture a stir and add. Increase the heat so the liquid is boiling, then pull off the heat. Set the chicken pieces on top of the rice, skin-side up, cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

 While the chicken cooks, combine the remaining tablespoon of miso with the butter in a small bowl and stir together until homogenous.

 Uncover the pan, remove the chicken and set on a rimmed baking sheet, skin-side up. Preheat the broiler to high and arrange an oven rack 3 inches from the heating element. Smear some of the miso onto each piece of chicken. Transfer to the broiler and broil until the miso is sizzling and the chicken skin is crisp, about 2 minutes (watch carefully, because the miso can burn easily).

To serve, spoon some of the chicken onto each plate and top with a chicken thigh.

“Hearts and Minds” Chocolate-Prune Cake

If you’ve tired of making banana bread, try this loaf cake instead. It’s moist and fudgy and improves as it sits. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make it by adding lemon juice or white vinegar to milk. If you don’t have prunes, you can substitute dried figs, or omit them altogether. This recipe doubles well, should you want to give a loaf to a friend.

Makes one loaf; serves 8

 Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

5 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

15 dried pitted prunes

10 tablespoons buttermilk

½ cup canola oil

½ cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup good-quality Dutch-process cocoa powder, such as Guittard, plus more for dusting the pan

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack in the center. Grease a 8 ½-inch by 4 ½

-inch by 2 ½-inch loaf pan with butter and dust with cocoa powder.

 Bring 1-inch of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put half (2.5 ounces) of the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and set the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Let stand until the chocolate has melted, then stir until smooth. Set aside. Put the prunes in a bowl and pour simmering water from the saucepan over the prunes to cover; let stand 10 minutes.

 In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, canola oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Remove the prunes from the water and finely chop. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until smooth, then stir in the melted chocolate. Add the remaining 2.5 ounces chopped chocolate and the prunes and stir to combine. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on a rack in the center of the oven until puffed and cracked on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, then turn out of the pan and let cool completely. Cut into fat slices and serve.

Creamy Rice Pudding with Citrus Salad & Pistachios

If you don’t have both milk and half-and-half, you can use one or the other for this recipe. Or you can use heavy cream and milk, or coconut milk for a vegan version. The citrus and pistachios are just one suggested topping. Fresh berries are great, stewed rhubarb is lovely, and even unadorned this pudding is delicious.

Makes 6 servings

2½ cups whole milk, divided

2 cups half-and-half

½ cup sugar

Pinch kosher salt

One 1-inch stick cinnamon

2 cardamom pods, crushed

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped

½ cup jasmine rice

1 egg yolk

½ teaspoon orange zest

3 oranges (Navels, Cara Caras, Blood Oranges, or a combination)

1 teaspoon rose water (optional)

3 tablespoons toasted, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

In large heavy bottom saucepan combine 2 cups of the milk, the half and half, the sugar, salt, cardamom and the vanilla pod and seeds. Stir in the rice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and the mixture is beginning to thicken, 15 minutes more.

In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ½ cup milk, the egg yolk and the orange zest. Add a spoonful of the hot rice mixture and stir vigorously, then pour into the pot with the remaining rice pudding. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until cold.

Cut the ends off of each orange and, with a sharp knife, following the contour of the fruit, cut the peel and pith off of each orange. Working over a bowl, hold the orange in your non-dominant hand and use a sharp knife to cut each segment of fruit free from the membrane, letting it drop into the bowl beneath. Add the rose water to the bowl with orange segments and mix very gently to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, spoon some of the pudding into a bowl. Top with some of the orange supremes and their juice and some of the pistachios. Serve.

Beef Albóndigas

Makes 16 meatballs; serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons white rice

5 eggs

1½ pounds ground beef

1/2 of a small white onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce

2 cinnamon sticks

1 bunch spinach, stemmed and washed (about 4 cups)

Put the rice in a small bowl and add cold water to cover. Let soak 20 minutes, then drain. Put 4 of the eggs in a medium saucepan (reserve the fifth egg) and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and cover. Let stand 9 minutes, then transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath. When cool, peel the eggs and quarter them. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the rice, beef, white onion, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, salt and the remaining (raw) egg and mix well to combine. Take a small amount of the meat mixture and use your hands to form into a thin patty. Place one quarter of hardboiled egg in the center of the patty, then form the meat mixture around the egg, enclosing it completely, and shape into a sphere. Repeat with the remaining meat and eggs until you’ve formed all 16 meatballs.

Pour the tomato sauce and chicken stock into a large high-sided saucepan or pot. Add the minced chipotles, adobo sauce and cinnamon sticks and stir to combine. Put the meatballs in the pot, arranging them snugly in a single layer (the meatballs will be poking out of the sauce). Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat so the sauce is simmering gently. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to a rimmed dish. Remove the cinnamon sticks from the sauce and discard, then increase the heat so the sauce is simmering vigorously. Stir in the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Return the meatballs to the sauce until rewarmed, about 5 minutes. Serve hot, accompanied by white rice.

Panko-Parmigiano Chicken

Panko-Parmigiano Chicken

Chicken breasts are boring, or so say all the serious food people. Never buy chicken breasts! Never, that is, unless you like crunchy, bronzed cutlets with a Parmesan breadcrumb coating, in which case you should make these. The cutlets are endlessly versatile—I like to serve them with an arugula and shaved fennel salad, with shaved strips of Parmigiano and a lemony vinaigrette, or on a sandwich, topped with a tangle of creamy coleslaw spiked with thin slices of jalapeño chile. 

The cutlets can also form the base of a killer chicken Parm, sauced with marinara and freighted with mozzarella cheese, then broiled until melty and browned (a staple of my elementary school cafeteria). These chicken can be breaded and frozen, uncooked, so a solid weeknight meal is always within reach. Freeze them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet; once frozen, transfer them to a freezer storage bag, where they’ll keep for a few months. They can be fried directly from the freezer, though they’ll take a few minutes longer.

Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups panko breadcrumbs

½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

½ cup all purpose flour

3 large eggs, beaten

Canola oil, for frying

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for finishing

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place one hand on the top of the chicken breast. With a sharp knife, cut it in half horizontally, cutting almost but not completely through to the other side, and open like a book.

Put the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap. Working from the center out, pound with the smooth side of a mallet or a rolling pin until the meat is 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 pieces and season each piece on both sides with salt and pepper.

Put the flour in a cake pan or other rimmed dish. Put the beaten eggs in a separate cake pan or rimmed dish. In a third cake pan or rimmed dish combine the breadcrumbs and Parmigiano.

Dip each piece of chicken first in the flour, turning to coat, then the beaten egg, turning to coat, then into the panko, turning to coat and pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Pour a ½-inch depth of oil into a large heavy bottom frying pan and heat over medium heat. Set a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. When the oil is hot add a few pieces of the chicken. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown on the second side, 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a wire cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and put in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.

When all the chicken has been fried, transfer it a platter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve hot, with lemon wedges alongside.

Hot Dog Fried Rice

Hot Dog Fried Rice

It might seem like a trendy stunt to add hot dogs to fried rice, but it’s also really good. Fried rice is part of my culinary dowry, something my mother made often and well, using whatever scraps were left in the refrigerator. I’ve tested this, stirring in cubed ham or leftover shredded pork; rotisserie chicken and a panoply of vegetables ranging from broccoli and spinach to zucchini and fennel. Somehow, it always works: fried rice is the great equalizer.

The addition of eggs and green onions is non-negotiable, however, and that duo, along with soy sauce, is what I think really gives fried rice its signature flavor. An unabashed lover of hot dogs, I like to dice a couple and add them in. Of course you could omit them for a completely satisfying vegetarian dish. The best fried rice is made with day-old white rice. Its slight dryness prevents it from becoming mushy as it’s tossed in the pan. If you don’t have leftover rice, cook some at least a few hours in advance of frying. Once cooked, turn it out onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread it in a single layer, which will help it cool more quickly and lets it dry out a bit.

Golden Mountain brand seasoning sauce is a Thai condiment made from fermented soybeans, salt and sugar. If you can’t find it, substitute additional soy sauce, salt and sugar to taste. If you’d like, you can stir in some chopped kimchi at the end of the cooking.

Have your ingredients prepped and nearby before you start making fried rice. Start to finish, the cooking should take under 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

4 cups cooked cooled white rice

Kosher salt

Sugar

1 cup (about 4 ounces) broccoli florets

2 medium carrots

¼ cup canola oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 hot dogs, diced

2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt

1½ tablespoons Golden Mountain brand seasoning sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup spinach leaves or thinly sliced swiss chard leaves

1/3 cup chopped cabbage kimchi (optional)

Season the rice with a generous pinch of salt and sugar. Steam the broccoli and carrots just until tender; cut the broccoli into small florets and dice the carrots.

In a large frying pan over high heat, heat the oil. When the oil is hot stir in the green onions and hot dogs and cook, stirring, until the green onions sizzle and soften and the pieces of hot dog begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until they begin to set. Stir in the rice and add the seasoning sauce and soy sauce and mix to combine, then cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, carrots and frozen peas and stir to combine. Stir in the spinach and kimchi, if using, and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts and the kimchi is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season to taste with additional salt, seasoning sauce or soy sauce.

Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe

For a recipe that only has five ingredients, this Roman pasta dish is less simple then it first seems. But it’s also crazy delicious, the kind of late-night, empty fridge recipe that dreams are made of. The success of the dish relies largely—completely, if I’m being honest—on technique, and it may take you a few attempts to perfect it. The goal is a bowl of al dente noodles cloaked in an emulsified, creamy sauce made from the combination of butter, cheese (I use a mixture of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano) and starchy pasta cooking water.

Rather than drain the pasta through a colander when it’s ready, I use tongs to transfer it directly from the water to the pan containing the butter and pepper, then add the Parmesan and toss. Some of the cooking water clings to the noodles and the pot is at my elbow if I need to add a bit more of that starchy water to the sauce to aid the emulsification. Knowing how much pasta water to add depends both on experience and the brand of dried pasta you’re using. You want to add enough to aid in the melting of the hard cheese, but not so much that the sauce becomes watery. 

I like the Rustichella D’Abruzzo brand of dried pasta. If you can’t find it, look for another Italian brand that is extruded through bronze dies (the label will likely boast this), which gives the exterior of each noodle a rougher texture, something the sauce can cling to.

Serves 4

12 ounces dried spaghetti

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated with a Microplane or on the smallest holes of a box grater

⅔ cup grated Pecorino Romano, finely grated with a Microplane or on the smallest holes of a box grater

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. When the water is boiling add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the pepper and cook, swirling the pan, until it begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Set aside.

When the pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer it to the frying pan and place the pan over low heat. Add the Parmesan cheese and ½ cup of the pasta cooking water to the frying pan and, with tongs, toss the pasta until the cheese melts. 

If a film of cheese begins to form on the bottom of your pan, reduce the heat. Add more pasta cooking water as necessary; the sauce should be creamy and emulsifed and coat each strand of pasta.

Remove from the heat and stir in the the Pecorino, tossing to coat. Transfer to bowls and serve hot.

Beef-and-Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Beef-and-Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Seven or so years ago, my meatball quest ended. It ended when I discovered that Molly Wizenburg—author, restaurant owner, blogger—had been on the same quest and finally found a recipe that was perfect. Oh good! I thought. Thank you for doing the work for me.

Molly may not know it, but she’s partially responsible for this cookbook. Because in the last line of the article in Bon Appétit magazine, where she shared her meatball recipe (which she learned from the chefs at Seattle’s Cafe Lago), she wrote, “That’s the beauty of a repertoire: that in drawing from a whole world of recipes, you wind up making your own.” Yes!

I didn’t do much to her recipe, honestly. I fiddled a bit with the amount of each ingredient, upping the parsley and decreasing the Parmigiano, just little tweaks, the process of making a recipe one’s own. Molly favors Marcella Hazan’s recipe for a butter-enriched tomato sauce, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I use my own tried-and-true recipe. We agree on one thing, however, which is that there’s no point in cooking the meatballs before adding them to the sauce. If you poach them in the tomato sauce they’re extremely tender, and some of their meaty, cheesy goodness fortifies the sauce.

Ground Parmigiano (as opposed to grated) makes a difference here. I found the easiest way to do it is to pulse some cubed cheese in the food processor.

Of course tomato sauce and meatballs belong with spaghetti, but you can also use these meatballs in a sub, or spoon them over polenta or a thick slice of grilled bread.

Serves 6 to 8

For the sauce:

2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, slivered

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt, to taste

3 sprigs fresh basil

For the meatballs:

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 

1/3 cup whole milk

8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)

8 ounces ground pork

½ cup finely ground Parmesan cheese (see notes)

1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and use your hands to crush them. Combine the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a heavy bottom pot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until the garlic turns the palest golden color (give an eye on it; you don’t want the garlic to brown). Pour in the tomatoes and add a few teaspoons of salt.

Bring to a lively simmer, then reduce the heat so the sauce is bubbling gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced and a slick of oil has risen to the top, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat, stir vigorously and season to taste with salt. The sauce can be used immediately or cooled to room temperature, covered and refrigerated; the cooled sauce can also be frozen in plastic storage bags for up to three months (I pour the sauce into quart-size bags and lay them flat on a baking sheet, then freeze, still on the baking sheet, until solid. Then they’ll stack neatly in your freezer).

While the sauce cooks, make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and pour the milk over. Let stand 10 minutes, then use your hands to remove the crumbs from the bowl, squeezing to remove the excess milk. Transfer the soaked crumbs to a large bowl and discard the milk. Add the remaining ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly to combine (don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be tough). Form into 1 ½-inch meatballs and set on a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Refrigerate until ready to cook; the meatballs can be made up to a day ahead.

If you’re planning to serve the meatballs with pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta to the water at the same time you add the meatballs to the finished pot of simmering tomato sauce and cook until al dente. Cook the meatballs, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

(Not So) Basic Black Beans

If ever there was a MVP recipe, this is it. If you can boil water, you can make these creamy black beans, which will then become the backbone of a week’s worth of meals. Here’s the recipe:

Basic Black Beans

Serves 6 

1 pound dried black beans

2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup diced yellow or white onion

Rinse the beans and pick out any stones or broken beans and discard. Transfer the beans to a heavy pot and cover with a few inches of water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, cover the pot partially and turn the heat to medium. Cook the beans, partially covered, for 20 minutes (the liquid should be boiling; if it isn’t, turn up the heat slightly).

Reduce the heat to low and cook the beans, still partially covered, until just tender, about 1 hour more. Uncover the beans and give them a stir and, if the water level is looking low, add more hot water so the beans are covered by about an inch. In a small frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Pour the onions and oil into the pot of beans. 

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until the beans and very tender and the liquid is thick, about 20 minutes more. Season to taste with additional salt.

How to serve: with a spoonful of sour cream, some chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a stack of tortillas; over rice, drizzled with some thick coconut milk; in a bowl, solo, creamy and delicious.

Roasted Squash, Shallot, and Blue Cheese Tart

Makes one 9-inch tart

For the crust:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/3 cup ice-cold water

For the tart:

1 delicata squash, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded

10 small shallots, peeled and trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup crème fraiche

1 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ pound blue cheese (I like Point Reyes' Bay Blue), crumbled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor (or in a large bowl) pulse the flour and salt to combine. Scatter the cubed butter over the flour and pulse until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Drizzle in half of the cold water and pulse a few times. Add the remaining water and pulse a few more times, just until the dough begins to come together into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. It may still be a bit crumbly, and this is OK; use the plastic wrap to help gather the dough into a ball, then tightly wrap and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight (the dough can also be well wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months).

Cut one half of the squash crosswise into half-moons about ½-inch thick. Cube the remaining squash half into ¾-inch cubes. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the squash slices and cubes in a single layer on one half of a rimmed baking sheet. Put the shallots in the (now-empty) bowl, drizzle with the remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to the other half of the baking sheet, arranging them in a single layer. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the squash is soft and golden brown, turning once, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the squash to a plate, taking care to leave the half-moons intact. Return the shallots to the oven and continue roasting until very soft, about 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. When the shallots are cool, halve them and add to the plate with the squash.

Remove the crust from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the crust into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer to a high-sided 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until cold, about 30 minutes. Line the chilled shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and parchment and continue baking for 10 more minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a large bowl whisk together the crème fraiche, heavy cream, eggs, salt, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.

Let the parbaked crust cool slightly, then line with the roasted squash cubes and shallots. Pour the custard over, then scatter the blue cheese over the top. Arrange the half-moons of squash in a decorative design over the top of the tart. Transfer the tart (still on the rimmed baking sheet) to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 and continue baking until the custard is set, and the top is brown, about 30 minutes longer. Let cool until just warm, then cut into wedges and serve.

Pistachio-Olive Oil Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake

1 cup all purpose flour
¾ cup finely ground raw pistachios (about 3½ ounces)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 large eggs
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon mild olive oil or pistachio oil
1/3 cup plain full-fat Greek-style yogurt
Chocolate ganache or strawberry-rhubarb compote (recipes follow)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pistachios, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and the orange zest, using your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until combined, then whisk in the olive oil and yogurt until smooth.

With a rubber spatula, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until completely combined, then transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when gently pressed and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake, or the cake will be dry.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out of the pan onto the wire rack and let cool completely.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

8 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered
8 ounces rhubarb, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
5 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Reserve ½ cup of the quartered strawberries. Transfer the remaining strawberries to a medium saucepan and add the rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the juices begin to release from the strawberries, then continue cooking, stirring, until the juices begin to thicken and the rhubarb has begun to soften, 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the rhubarb is tender and beginning to fall apart, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in reserved strawberries. Cooled compote can be spooned on top of the cake, or served alongside.

Chocolate Ganache

If you want a pourable ganache that will drip off the edges of the cake, use 3½ ounces of chocolate and pour over the cake while the ganache is still warm. If you plan to frost the cake, covering the top and sides with a thin, even layer, use 4 ounces of chocolate and let the ganache cool slightly before using an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the cake.

3½ to 4 ounces semisweet chocolate (64% cacao), chopped
½ cup heavy cream

Put the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until bubbles begin to appear at the pan’s edge. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour or spread the ganache over the cake and refrigerate until firm.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd & Citrus Salad

Serves 8
 

For the meringue:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large eggs, separated, yolks reserved
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the lemon curd:
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the topping:
5 kumquats, mandarinquats or a combination
¼ cup sugar
1 Oro blanco or pink grapefruit
1 Cara Cara or navel orange
1 blood orange
1 Murcott or Satsuma tangerine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

Credit: The San Francisco Chronicle

Photo Credit: The San Francisco Chronicle
To make the meringue: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking liner or parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer). Mix on medium speed until the whites hold soft peaks, then add 3 tablespoons of cold water and continue beating until the whites again hold soft peaks. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the sugar and cornstarch mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. When all the sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more.

Add the lemon juice and vanilla, increase the speed to high, and continue to beat the egg whites until they hold stiff, glossy peaks, 5 minutes more. Transfer the meringue to the prepared baking sheet and, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, gently spread into a circle about 8 inches wide, slightly higher on the sides and with a slight depression in the center.

Bake the meringue until pale golden, about 45 minutes. The meringue will have a crust on the exterior but still be soft inside. Turn the oven off, crack the oven door slightly (stick a wooden spoon in the oven door to keep it propped open) and let the meringue sit in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool, run a spatula under the meringue to free it from the silicon baking mat or parchment and transfer to a large plate. The meringue is best made the same day you plan to eat it. If you prefer, you can make individual meringues; prepare two baking sheets, then spoon four equal-size mounds of meringue onto each of the baking sheets, for a total of 8 meringues. The baking time is the same.

To make the lemon curd: While the meringue cooks, make the lemon curd: In a medium non-reactive bowl, whisk together the reserved egg yolks, lemon juice and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and whisk vigorously and constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and lemon zest. Transfer to a medium bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (this prevents a skin from forming) and transfer to the refrigerator. Let cool completely. The lemon curd can be made up to two days in advance; if you make the curd before the meringue, make sure to reserve the egg whites for the meringue.

To make the topping: Thinly slice the kumquats and/or mandarinquats into rounds. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and ½ cup of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the sliced fruit and simmer just until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and, with a slotted spoon, remove the fruit from the syrup and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until chilled. Reserve the syrup; it’s great in cocktails.

With a sharp knife, cut the ends off of the grapefruit and orange. Working with one piece of fruit at a time, use a sharp knife to cut off the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Cut the blood oranges into wagon wheels about ½-inch think. With a sharp knife, cut out each Cara Cara and grapefruit segment by inserting the knife blade between the flesh and the membrane on both sides; the wedges should come out easily, leaving only the membrane intact. Discard the membrane. Peel the tangerine and separate the segments.

In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the cream and confectioner’s sugar on high speed until it holds soft peaks.

To finish: With a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the lemon curd to lighten it. Spread the lemon curd onto the meringue base, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with the remaining whipped cream. Arrange the citrus on top of the cream, finishing with the poached kumquat slices. The assembled pavlova is best eaten right after it’s assembled but will keep, refrigerated, for up to an hour.

Credit: The San Francisco Chronicle

Savory Greens Pie

Serves 6 to 8

You’ll need a 9-inch cake pan with straight sides for this recipe, rather than a pie pan.

For the crust:
1½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the filling:
2½ pounds Swiss chard, spinach or a mixture (about 6 bunches), stemmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (from about 3 large cloves)
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup grated fontina cheese
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 large egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Dump the mixture onto a work surface and create a large well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and add the olive oil. With a fork, mix to break up the eggs, then gradually begin incorporating some of the flour from the walls of the well into the wet ingredients (if there’s a breach in the wall and some of the wet ingredients begin to leak out, don’t worry — simply shore up the well by moving some of the flour and continue working). Continue mixing the dry ingredients into the egg and oil mixture until a sticky, lumpy dough forms.

With a bench scraper, fold the dough over onto itself and incorporate the remaining flour. With your hands, knead the dough until it is smooth, about 2 minutes, adding more flour as needed if the dough is sticking to your hands. Wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and set aside. (The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead; store, tightly wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator until ready to use.)

To make the filling: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the greens in batches and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Use a spider or tongs to transfer the wilted greens to a colander; repeat with the remaining greens, letting the water return to a boil between batches. When all of the greens have been cooked, run cold water over them until they’re cool enough to handle, then squeeze by the handful over the sink to remove as much water as possible and transfer to a cutting board. Coarsely chop, then squeeze a second time (as annoying as this might seem, it’s essential to prevent a soggy filling, which leads to a soggy crust).

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked, chopped greens. Let cool slightly, then stir in the ricotta, fontina, Parmigiano-Reggiano and egg and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To finish: Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into two pieces, one making up about two-thirds of the dough. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the larger piece of dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch cake pan, lining the bottom and sides of the pan and leaving the overhang. Spoon the greens filling into the pan, smoothing it with the back of a spoon into an even layer. Roll the remaining piece of dough into a 9-inch circle and set on top of the filling; fold the overhanging dough over the top, trimming with scissors as needed to even it out. Brush the top of the pie with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut three or four vent holes in the center.

Transfer to the lower rack of the oven and bake until the dough is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Turn out onto a plate, then flip right-side up onto a second plate or serving platter. Cut into fat wedges and serve.

Lamb Meatball and Herb Salad

Serves 4

For the salad:
2 pieces lavash bread
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Aleppo pepper (optional)
1 pound ground lamb (ground beef can be substituted)
3 teaspoons prepared harissa
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups trimmed sugar snap peas
6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 thin-skinned Japanese, Armenian, Persian or English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup dill fronds
3 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted

For the dressing:
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the pieces of lavash side by side on an unlined, rimmed baking sheet and brush each piece on both sides with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and a dusting of Aleppo pepper, if using. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then break into irregular bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a bowl combine the lamb, harissa, garlic and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and mix with your hands until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the meatballs, turning with a spoon as needed, until lightly browned on both sides but still slightly pink within, about 6 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool until just warm.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat and drop in the sugar snap peas. Cook until just tender, about 2 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry, then cut each pea crosswise into two pieces. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl combine the meatballs, peas, radishes, cucumbers, herbs, scallions, feta and sunflower seeds and toss with your hands to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently with your hands to coat. Top with the crispy lavash and serve immediately.

Photo Credit: The San Francisco Chronicle

Braised Chicken with Apricots and Green Olives

Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

½ cup all purpose flour

1 large onion, peeled and cut into eight wedges

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

½ cup green olives, such as Castelvetrano, pitted

5 apricots, pitted and quartered

2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon unsalted butter