Madeleines

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp honey (orange blossom, lavendar, etc)
1 1/1 Tbsp lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp kosher salt

1 cup flour, sifted twice
1 cup butter, melted

Coconut Variation:
1/3 cup shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 350F

Whisk sugar and eggs until it starts to thicken. Continue mixing with honey, lemon and vanilla.

Sift in flour, mix well until flouw grains completely disappear. Add butter.

Cover bowl and let it rest at room temperature for an hour.

Lightly brush madeleine molds with butter. Fill each mold about 80% full and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the size of the molds. Insert toothpick, if it comes out clean then it's done.

Dust  madeleines with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate.

Spanish-Style Sweet Potato Tortilla

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick
2 cups spinach
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 whole eggs
5 egg whites
sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Steam sweet potatoes for 10 minutes or until tender. During the last two minute, add spinach and let wilt. Meanwhile, add oil to a large nonstick skillet and saute' onions over medium heat until soft.

In a large bowl, scramble eggs and egg whites with salt and pepper.

Add potatoes, spinach and onion to eggs. Toss to coat. Return skillet to sove and turn heat up to medium-high.

Add egg mixture and let cook until edges are firm, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook. After 5-7 minutes, run a rubber spatula around edges to loosen.

Place a large plate over the pan and flip the pan so the "tortilla" is now upside-down on the plate. Slide it backinto the pan to cook on the other side, about 5 minutes more or until cooked through.

Roasted Squash with Mint and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium acorn, butternut squash or small sugar pumpkins (about 3 lbs)
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (aged)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut squash into 1 1/2"-thick wedges, leaving skin on. Scrape off seeds and strings with a large spoon and discard. Coat wedges with 3 Tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay wedges cut side down on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, carefully turning halfway through, until golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes on each side.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and cook, swirling pan often, until seeds are puffed and brown but still have a bit of green, 4–5 minutes. Transfer seeds to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt.

Transfer squash to a large platter and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle squash with torn mint leaves and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Creme Brulee

SERVINGS:

Makes 8

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups heavy cream, chilled
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
12 large egg yolks
8-12 tsps of sugar for torching

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust over rack to lower-middle position and heat over to 300F

Combine 2 cups of cream, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan.

With paring knife, scape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, submerge pod in cream, and bring mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves. Take pan off heat and let steep 15 minutes to infuse flavors.

After cream has steeped, stir in remaining 2 cups cream to cool down mixture. Whisk yolks in large bowl until combined. Whisk in 1 cup of cream mixture into yolks until combined. Repeat the steps with another cup of cream mixture until there is no more mixture left.

Place kitchen towel in the bottom of large roasting dish and arrange 8 (4 - 5 oz) ramekins on towel. Bring water to boil.

Strain through fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, discard solids in strainer. Ladle mixture into ramekins, evenly.

Pour boiling water into a roasting pan until water reaches 2/3 height of ramekins,, making sure not to splash water into ramekins. Place baking dish with ramekins in the oven.

Bake about 25 - 30 minutes, until centers of custards are barely set and are no longer sloshy. Thermometer should read 170 - 175F

Transfer ramekins to wire rack to cook off for 2 hours in room temperature. Cover with plastic, refrigerate 4 hours to 4 days.

If ready to serve, uncover ramekins. Soak up moisture with paper towel if needed. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Ignite torch and caramelize sugar.

Oyster Stew

ABOUT:

This stew became the tradition with my family to cook for Christmas Eve. It came to me from my father in law and slightly modified. It's a simple rustic dish, all you need are oysters, lots of cream and fresh baguette.

SERVINGS:

Makes 4 - 5

INGREDIENTS:

5 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 dozen of oysters
1/4 cup flour
2 celery stalks, minced
1 medium yellow or white onion, minced
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
Splash of hot sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Strain the oyster juice through a sieve into a bowl to remove any grit. Reserve the juices. Rinse the oysters well, under cold water. Put them in a bowl.

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture for a few minutes, stirring often. When the roux turns into creamy coffee color, stir in the celery and onions. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the oyster juice and any juices the oysters in the bowl have released. The flour in the roux will absorb the liquid and turn into a paste. Slowly add the milk and cream, stirring to incorporate as you pour them in. Add a splash of hot sauce, to taste. Heat the soup to steamy, but below a simmer, over low heat, cook for 15 minutes. Do not let the soup boil!

If you are working with large oysters, chop them into bite-sized pieces. Add the oysters and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters just begin to curl.

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Caponata - Sicilian Eggplant Salad

SERVINGS: 

Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 large eggplant 1/2 inch cubed

1 tbs salt

3/4 cup V8 vegetable juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbs brown sugar

1/4 cup minced parsley

8 oz can ripe tomatoes

1/4 cup raisins

2 tbs minced black olives

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice

1 onion, diced

DIRECTIONS:

Toss eggplant and salt together in a bowl. Line entire surface of large microwave safe plat with double layer of coffee filters. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over coffee filters. Microwave on high power until eggplant is dry and shriveled to 1/3 of it's size, 8 - 15 minutes. Remove eggplants from microwave and transfer to paper towel lined plate.

Whisk vegetable juice, vinegar, brown sugar, parsley, tomatoes, raisins, and olives together.

Heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium high heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges are browned, 4 - 8 minutes. Add more oil if pan dries out. Transfer to bowl and set aside. 

Heat the rest of the oil to the pan. Add onion, cook for about 4 minutes. Add red bell pepper for 4 minutes more.

Reduce heat to medium low. Add eggplants and vegetable juice mixture. Bring to simmer and cook until vegetable juice is thickened and coats vegetables, 4 - 7 minutes. Season with salt if necessary. 

Cranberry Sauce with Wine and Cinnamon

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup ruby wine you like, if using port only use 1 cup of sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 cup dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Bring wine and broken cinnamon sticks to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer mixture 5 minutes.

Add dried cranberries to saucepan; simmer until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

Add fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup water, and sugar; bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until cranberry sauce thickens and is darker in color and berries collapse, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Transfer sauce to bowl; cool. Discard cinnamon sticks.

Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.