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| "Pears 2016," a watercolor by Mary Reid |
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Monday, November 13, 2017
Our Favorite Recipes 2017
Starters
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Salads
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Soups
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Sides
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Pasta
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| Rice Vermicelli Bowl with Lime and Peanut Dressing |
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Mains
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Desserts
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Brunch
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Anna Lucketti's Portuguese Cheese Bread
adapted by Marilyn and
Richard Lonergan
preparation time: 10 minutes
plus baking time
makes 36 mini muffin-sized
buns
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1½ cups shredded jack cheese
2 cups tapioca flour (Bob’s Red Mill or
similar)
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 400
degrees.
Put all the ingredients in a
blender and pulse until smooth.
Lightly oil a mini muffin
pan. Pour the mixture into each cup, filling them ¾ full. Bake for 15 to 20
minutes until puffy and lightly browned. Cool and remove from the pan.
We had these as an appetizer at a Canadian
Thanksgiving party and were taken by the cheesy taste and chewy texture. They
are like popovers. The recipe is very much like a Brazilian Pao de Queijo.
Sparkling Cranberry Mules
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| Photo from simplydarrling.com |
submitted by Karen
Lonergan
preparation time: 10
minutes
serves 1
2 ounces vodka*
4 ounces ginger beer
1 ounce cranberry juice
Splash of lime juice
Cranberries, for garnish
Mix
ingredients in copper cup (or glass) over ice. Stir well to mix. Garnish with
toothpick spear of cranberries.
*For
virgin recipe, substitute 1 ounce cranberry juice plus 1 ounce ginger beer in
addition to amounts above.
A fabulous, refreshing holiday
drink that was enjoyed by many in Seattle the 2016 holiday season. Easy to
batch in large quantities ahead of time.
Autumn Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad
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| Photo by Russell Yip |
from The San Francisco Chronicle
submitted by Anne Halsted
submitted by Anne Halsted
preparation time:
about 30 minutes
serves 6 to 8
serves 6 to 8
For the dressing:
1½ teaspoon minced shallots
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
½ cup walnut oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
2 Belgian endives, trimmed and leaves
separated
10 ounces hearty salad greens, such
as spinach, arugula, or baby kale
1 fuyu persimmon, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts
¼ cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
To make the dressing: Combine the shallots, mustard,
pomegranate molasses, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Whish in the walnut oil and
add salt and pepper to taste.
To make the salad: Place the endive, greens, and
persimmon in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing, and adjust seasoning with
more salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with
the toasted walnuts, and pomegranate arils, and serve.
Crispy Quinoa Spring Salad
from What’s Gaby Cooking
submitted by Carol
Hutchinson
preparation time: 30
minutes
serves 4 to 6
For the Green Goddess
dressing:
2 scallions, roughly chopped (white and light green parts only)
2 scallions, roughly chopped (white and light green parts only)
1 medium ripe avocado
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 to 8 tablespoons water, plus more
as needed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
4 tablespoons snipped chives
1 clove garlic
Kosher salt and freshly cracked
pepper to taste
For
the salad:
½
cup cooked quinoa
3
tablespoons olive oil
3
to 4 heads little gem lettuce
2
Easter radishes, sliced
1
small log goat cheese, crumbled
Fresh
basil
Fresh
chives
Fresh
tarragon
Kosher
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing: Combine
everything in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add
a few extra tablespoons of water if you need to smooth it out. Taste and adjust
salt and pepper as needed. Use immediately, or store in an airtight
refrigerated container for up to 4 days. You’ll have dressing left over.
For the Salad: In
a large skillet over high heat, add the olive oil. When oil is sizzling, add the
cooked quinoa and toast for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Remove
from skillet and set aside to cool. Arrange the remaining salad ingredients in
a large serving bowl. Once the quinoa has cooled, add that to the salad. Drizzle
with the dressing and serve.
Fig Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
from What’s Gaby Cooking
submitted by Carol
Hutchinson
preparation time: 15
minutes
serves 4 to 6
For
the vinaigrette:
1
shallot, finely chopped
2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼
cup champagne vinegar
2
tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2
tablespoons honey
½
teaspoon salt
½
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
For
the salad:
5
cups baby arugula
1
to 2 pints ripe figs, quartered or halved
6
ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
2
ounces thin sliced prosciutto, torn into pieces
Combine the shallot, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, honey,
salt and pepper and whisk. Drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify.
Place the arugula on a large platter or bowl, top with
prosciutto, cheese and figs and drizzle with dressing.
This
recipe is embarrassingly easy, and if you have access to delicious figs you are
done!
Herb and Radish Salad with Feta and Walnut
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| Photo by Michael Kraus for The New York Times |
from The New York Times
submitted by Anne
Halsted
preparation time: 40
minutes
serves 6 to 8
1 cup walnuts
2 bunches small radishes, trimmed
(about 15 radishes)
3 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
3 ounces sheep’s milk feta cheese,
crumbled (preferably French feta)
½ cup chives cut into 1-inch pieces
(about one bunch)
1 cup loosely packed cilantro
leaves and tender stems (about one bunch)
1 cup loosely packed dill fronds,
stems removed (about 1 large bunch)
½ cup loosely packed mint leaves
(about one small bunch)
2 sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped
Use a
sharp knife or mandolin to slice the radishes and cucumbers into thin coins roughly
⅛-inch thick. Place in a medium bowl. Add walnuts.
In a small
glass or jar, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil to make the dressing.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Just
before serving, season radishes, cucumbers and walnuts with a pinch of salt and
dress lightly with 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Toss well to combine. Add
crumbled cheese and toss gently to combine without breaking the cheese down too
much. Arrange in a loose mound in a shallow serving bowl (or on a platter).
Place
herbs in the mixing bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and dress very lightly
with about 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Toss to combine, then pile the herb salad
atop the radishes and cucumbers. Serve immediately.
Roasted Carrot Salad with
Arugula and Pomegranate
Arugula and Pomegranate
from Melissa Clark in The New York Times
submitted by Irene Tibbits
preparation time: 45 minutes
serves 4
1 ½ pound carrots, peeled & cut into 2-inch
lengths (halve them if carrots are large)
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil, more as needed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice, more to taste
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 ounces baby arugula (about 3 cups)
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh dill fronds or mint leaves
Pomegranate seeds, as needed
Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Toasted walnuts or crumbled pita
chips, for serving (optional)
Heat
oven to 425 degrees.
Toss
carrots with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet, and
bake until edges are caramelized and carrots are tender, 28 to 33 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately toss with cumin. Let cool for a few minutes
while you make the dressing. Carrots should be slightly warm but not hot when
tossed with the greens.
In
a large bowl, whisk together pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, mustard
and large pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust lemon juice and seasonings
if necessary. Whisk in remaining ¼ cup oil until emulsified.
Stir
carrots into dressing, then gently toss with arugula, fennel and dill or mint.
Serve immediately, drizzled with more olive oil and topped with pomegranate
seeds, and yogurt and nuts or pita chips if using.
This
composed, bright salad of roasted carrots, thinly sliced fennel and arugula
gains a fruity depth from a splash of pomegranate molasses in the dressing. You
can find pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern groceries and specialty food
shops, and it’s worth seeking out for its complex, sweet-tart acidity. Once
opened, it will last for years in your pantry. This salad makes a delightful
side dish or light main course, especially if you include the optional toasted
walnuts or pita chips, which add a satisfying crunch. If you can find
multicolored carrots, this already striking salad becomes even prettier.
Creamy Chanterelle Mushroom Soup
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| Photo by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt |
from The Food Lab book on SeriousEats.com
submitted by Anne Halsted
preparation time: 1 hour overall
serves 8
1 pound chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed,
trimmings reserved
1½ quarts low-sodium homemade or store bought chicken
broth
7 tablespoons butter, divided
1½ medium shallots, thinly sliced (about ½ cup), plus ½ shallot
minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about 1
tablespoon)
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup dry sherry or white wine
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs, plus ½ teaspoon picked thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Set ½ cup mushrooms aside for garnish. Place mushroom trimmings in a medium
saucepan. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a sub-simmer and
keep warm.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add
shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft but not
browned, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms (except for garnish) to pot and cook,
stirring frequently, until excess liquid evaporates and mushrooms start to
sizzle, about 10 minutes.
Add flour and stir to incorporate. Cook for 30 seconds. Add sherry or white
wine, increase heat, bring to boil, and cook, stirring constantly and scraping
bottom of pan, until thick and syrupy, about 1 minute. Place a fine mesh
strainer over the soup and pour the mushroom-infused broth through it. Discard
mushroom scraps. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Bring soup to a simmer and
adjust heat to maintain a bare bubble. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs and transfer soup to a blender. Blend,
starting on low speed and slowly getting faster. Once at full speed, add four
tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated.
Continue blending until completely smooth. Rinse out soup pot and pour soup
back into it through a chinois or fine mesh strainer. Season to taste with salt
and pepper.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add
reserved mushrooms and cook, tossing continuously, until browned, about 2
minutes. Add minced shallots and thyme sprigs and toss until fragrant, about 15
seconds. Add 2 tablespoons water and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Remove
from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into warm bowls and top with sautéed mushroom mixture. Serve
immediately.
Note: This recipe will work with any
kind of mushroom. To trim chanterelles, scrape the sides of the stems with a
sharp paring knife, then cut off the very bottom portion of the stem. Reserve
trimmings. Split larger mushrooms in halves or quarters.
Italian Wedding Soup
submitted by Karen
Lonergan
preparation time: about
40 minutes
serves 4
3 tablespoons
olive oil
1 large carrot,
diced
½ large yellow
onion, diced
1 celery stalk,
diced
3 garlic cloves,
thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon chili
flakes
4 cups chicken
stock
4 cups escarole
leaves, cut into ½-inch ribbons
1 pound pork or
turkey sausage meat (casings removed if necessary)
⅓ cup orzo
1 egg
Parmesan cheese,
to garnish
Heat
the olive oil in a medium-size donabe (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add
carrots, onion, celery, garlic cloves, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt and
sauté for about 10 minutes, or until tender and starting to brown. Add chicken
stock and bring the mixture up to a boil.
Meanwhile,
roll the sausage into 20 individual meatballs.
When
the chicken stock is boiling, add the meatballs, escarole, and orzo. Bring the
mixture back up to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the
meatballs are cooked through.
Beat
the egg in a small bowl, and stir it into the simmering soup just before
serving. Taste for seasoning and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, some
cracked black pepper, and Parmesan cheese to taste.
This is a quick
version of a classic soup.
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