Gruyere Thyme Crackers
From Martha Stewart
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus extra sprigs for garnish
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup finely grated (2 1/2 ounces) Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- Combine flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine.
- Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheese; pulse until combined. With machine running, add the milk; process until dough comes together and is well combined.
- Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape dough into a 2-inch-wide log. Wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Slice chilled log into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Transfer slices to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dip a sprig of thyme into egg white, and place in center of a cracker slice; repeat with remaining thyme and crackers.
- Bake immediately, rotating sheet once, until crackers are golden brown and firm in the center, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
- Crackers may be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Makes 20 crackers.
Vanilla Rum Colas
From Martha Stewart
Small ice cubes
3 cups cola
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. dark rum
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 orange wedges or 4 sliced kumquats
- For each drink, fill a glass 3/4 full with ice.
- Add 1/2 cup cola, 3 tbsp. rum, and 1/8 tsp. vanilla. Squeeze orange or kumquats into drink, and stir.
Serves 6.
French Onion Soup
Modified from Bon Appétit magazine and Martha Stewart
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
6 onions (about 3 pounds), sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 bay leaf
3 springs fresh thyme
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cups canned beef broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6-8 sourdough bread slices, toasted
8 ounces pecorino romano cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups)
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, 1 hour to an hour and a half.
- Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat.
- Add wine and simmer until reduced to glaze, about 3 minutes. Stir in beef broth and mustard. Simmer 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into broilerproof bowls. Top each with slice of toast and grated cheeses. Broil until cheeses melt and bubble.
Serves 6-8.
Expert Heart Cake
From Matt Lewis of Baked
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp. red food coloring
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, , room temperature
1 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour, (not self-rising)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate, for decorating
Speckled Cinnamon Frosting, recipe below
- Preheat oven to 325°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Butter an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment paper, butter parchment, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, food coloring, and 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and shortening on high speed until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir buttermilk and vanilla into cocoa mixture.
- Into another medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until incorporated.
- In a small bowl, mix together vinegar and baking soda until baking soda dissolves; mixture will fizz. Add to batter and mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking sheet, smoothing the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes, rotating pan after 10 minutes.
- Cool cake completely on a wire rack. Using a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 hearts.
- Place 4 strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy susan. Place 1 layer on the cake plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cake; top with another heart, bottom side up.
- Cover entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and transfer to refrigerator for 10 minutes. Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
- Remove cakes from the refrigerator and cover each cake with a generous layer of frosting, smoothing as you go around to create a flat surface.
- Place chocolate in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip; decorate as desired.
Makes six 4-inch heart-shaped cakes.
Speckled Cinnamon Frosting
From Matt Lewis of Baked
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Food coloring, in desired color
- Whisk together sugar and flour in medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add milk and cream and place over medium heat, whisking occasionally until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until cool.
- Reduce speed to low and add butter; mix until well incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and mix until frosting is light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined.
- Add a couple drops of food coloring while continuing to mix, until desired color is reached.
- If frosting is too soft, chill slightly and then remix to proper consistency. If frosting becomes too firm, place bowl over a pot of simmering water and remix to proper consistency.
Makes enough for six 4-inch cakes.
Fingerling Potatoes and Goat Cheese Fondue
From Martha Stewart
2 pounds fingerling potatoes (30 to 40)
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 chervil, for garnish
- Place fingerling potatoes and salt in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover generously. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, and drain potatoes in a colander. Transfer potatoes to a platter; set aside.
- Place goat cheese and buttermilk in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler, and place over a pan of simmering water. Warm mixture, stirring until it is very smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in pepper, chives, thyme, tarragon, and parsley.
- Place in the bowl of a small fondue pot or in a warm serving bowl; serve immediately with fingerling potatoes garnished with chervil.
Serves 12 to 14.
Spicy Garbanzo Tomato Soup
From Martha Stewart
3 gloves garlic, minced
3 dried hot red chiles, chopped or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. course salt
1/8 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
3 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium, store-bought chicken stock
Sour cream, for serving
parsley springs, optional for garnish
- Using mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, crush garlic, chiles, coriander, salt, and caraway to form a paste.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic mixture, and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in beans, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and stock. Simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Rewarm if necessary.
- Divide among bowls, and top each with a dollop of sour cream and a spring of parsley, if desired.
Serves 4.
Vegetarian Chili
From Joe Bonanno
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large carrot, chopped medium
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, or 1/4 cup drained canned chopped green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 stewed (28-ounce) tomatoes
1/3 cup chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, green and red peppers, carrot, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in 7 cups water, lentils, tomato paste, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Stir to blend, adding stewed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red-pepper flakes.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If the chili starts to dry out, add hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Serves 10.
Linguine and Tuna with Spicy Orange Sauce
From Martha Stewart
Coarse salt
8 ounces whole-wheat linguine
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 to 3 oranges)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
1 large bunch watercress (about 3 cups) or arugula, tough ends trimmed, washed and well-dried
2 cans tuna (6 ounces each), packed in oil and drained
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together orange zest, juice, oil, vinegar, mustard, and red-pepper flakes; season with salt. Add greens and pasta, toss to combine.
- Scatter tuna over the top and sprinkle with red-pepper flakes if desired; serve.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 241 calories; 35 g protein; 19 g fat; 50 g carbs; 5 g fiber.
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Quail Salad
Modified from Martha Stewart
4 quail, 5 ounces each, cooked
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon corn or vegetable oil
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Salt
1/4 pound soba noodles, or spaghetti
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 to 3 cups loosely packed pea shots or watercress leaves
- In a medium nonmetallic bowl, mix together oils, orange zest, and juice, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, and ginger, set aside.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add noodles. Cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
- Meanwhile brush the cooked quail with the oil citrus mixture. Warm in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- Pour remaining oil citrus mixture into a saucepan. Reduce until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain, and place in a clean saucepan.
- Add noodles; simmer until heated through. Stir in sesame seeds.
- Divide noodles and pea shoots or watercress among four plates. Place a quail on top, and serve.
Serves 4.
Cheese Pizza
From Martha Stewart
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
One (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained, and crushed by hand
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
6 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pizza Dough, recipe below
1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap garlic in a piece of parchment-lined foil. Roast until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool, and squeeze cloves to remove pulp.
- In a medium bowl, stir to combine roasted garlic, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, and basil. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- On a pizza peel dusted with flour, place one-quarter of the dough. Using your fingers, begin to flatten and push dough evenly out from center until it measures about 12 inches in diameter. Crimp edges to form a rim. Sprinkle one-quarter of the mozzarella onto dough. Spoon 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture over mozzarella.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. When very hot but not smoking, reduce heat to low. Lift pizza peel and, using a slight jerking motion, slide pizza about one inch back and forth on the peel to loosen it. Slightly tilt the peel, and slide the pizza off the peel, centering it in the skillet. Cover skillet, and cook until pizza is golden on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Makes four 12 inch pizzas.
Pizza Dough
1 cup warm (110 degrees to 120 degrees) beer
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast
2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk to combine beer, 2 tablespoons olive oil, sugar, salt, and yeast. Fit bowl on electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add flour, and mix until dough is fairly stiff, about 10 minutes.
- On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Brush the inside of a large bowl with remaining tablespoon olive oil; transfer dough to bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Punch down dough, and transfer to a clean surface. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide dough into quarters; keep covered with plastic wrap.
Makes enough for four 12-inch pizzas.
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