recipes
SPINACH SALAD WITH GRILLED RED ONIONS AND TAHINI
DRESSING
6 servings
DRESSING:
Grated zest of I lemon
¼ cup fresh lemons juice
¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
I teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large red onions sliced into ¼ inch slices
8 cups baby spinach leaves
In a food processor or blender process all ingredients until
smooth.
Brush onions slices with vinaigrette and grill over medium
high heat until a little charred on both sides. Separate
into rings
Toss Spinach lightly with just enough dressing to coat
leaves, place on chilled salad plates and top with grilled
red onions.
CHOCOLATE SHORTCAKES with FRESH STRAWBERRIES
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 2/3 to 1 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
Melted unsalted butter
Additional sugar
2 pints vanilla ice cream
Chocolate sauce
2 1 pint baskets strawberries, hulled, halved, lightly
sugared
1 cup chilled whipping cream, whipped
Preheat oven to 325'F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa,
baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl. Mix in
chocolate chips. Mix in just enough chilled cream to form
dough that will be firm enough to roll out. Turn out dough
onto well floured work surface. Using well floured hands,
pat out dough to 3/4 inch thick rectangle, frequently
sliding long knife under dough to prevent sticking. With
floured 3 inch cookie cutter, cut out cakes. Gather dough
scraps; pat out to 3/4 inchthick rectangle and cut out
additional cakes (for total of about 12).
Brush cakes with butter, sprinkle with additional sugar.
Arrange shortcakes sugared side down on 2 heavy large baking
sheets. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake
until shortcakes feel firm and tester comes out clean.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
( Make about I 1/2 cups )
This is a great, basic chocolate sauce recipe. Use the best
quality unsweetened cocoa powder you can find, like the
Valrhona brand. The best tasting chocolate sauce can only be
made with the best chocolate available.
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa Powder, sifted
Pinch of kosher salt
114 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
(about 1 1/2 ounces)
In a saucepan over medium high heat, bring the heavy cream,
butter, and both sugars to a boil. Add the cocoa and salt
and whisk until smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the chopped chocolate and coffee and stir until the
chocolate is melted. Serve warm.
A STEP AHEAD This sauce can be made 2 or 3 days ahead and
stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Gently reheat
over hot water in the top of a double boiler.
Ricotta Corn Cakes With Salsa
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (about 17 oz)
1 cup finely chopped green onions
2 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 cups corn kernels scraped from 2 to 3 ears of fresh corn
3 large eggs
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup all purpose flour.
Olive oil
Purchased salsa
Sour cream
Mix ricotta, green onions, sugar, salt and pepper in a large
bowl to blend. Combine corn and eggs in food processor and
blend until coarse puree forms. Stir puree into cheese and
egg mixture. Add cornmeal and flour. Let batter stand 1 hour
at room temperature.
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat.
Working in batches of about 10 corn cakes, drop in generous
1 Tbsp batter for each corn cake. Cook until brown on
bottom. Turn and cook until brown on second side. Transfer
to a large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter,
adding oil to skillet as needed.
These can be prepared one day ahead, covered and
refrigerated. Spread corn cakes in a single layer on a
baking sheet. Rewarm in 350 degree oven until heated
through, about 5 minutes.
Serve topped with salsa and sour cream
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