The Most Important Meal of the Day

I’ve always loved quiche. It’s the perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or late night snack. You can practically make anything into a quiche: salmon and asparagus, mushrooms and goat cheese, sausage and peppers.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

¾ cup flour
½ stick butter
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 cold water
1/2 package bacon, I prefer the thick slab kind
frozen spinach, drained
shredded cheddar cheese
9 eggs
½ cup milk
salt
pepper

Mix the flour, butter and salt in a metal mixing bowl until the butter is 100% incorporated and the mixture resembles course meal. Slowly add in the water, a little bit at a time and pull the dough tougher, being careful that it isn’t too wet. Roll it out so that it fills a 10-inch pie pan. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the bacon into chunks and cook in a pan on medium, till crispy and brown. Drain on a paper towel. Layer the pastry first with the spinach, then the bacon and then the cheese.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, milk and salt and pepper till it is smooth. Pour the eggs, gently, over the filling. It should be just at the top of the filling.

Bake the quiche for 1 to 1.5 hours until it is golden brown and puffed up. Let it cool on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Subzero Hibernation

It’s cold, really cold, in New York. I’m held up in my infinitesimally small studio apartment avoiding the elements. The only thing I want to eat is something starchy, creamy and rich. This doesn’t require a lot of effort and always hits the spot.

Butternut Squash Risotto

1 butternut squash, pealed, cleaned and cubed into bit size pieces
olive oil
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 ½ cups short grain rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock
parmesan cheese
fresh thyme, sage or parsley

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

On a large baking pan, toss the squash pieces in olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, turning 40 minutes into the cooking time

In a large pan, on medium high heat, sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons butter and some olive oil till clear. Add the rice, stirring and cooking till the edges also turn clear. Season the rice lightly with salt.

Add the wine. Stir until it is absorbed into the rice. Slowly add the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring the rice till it is absorbed. Do this until the rice is almost done, maybe 30 minutes? You want to rice to be done but not mushy. It should have the typical creamy risotto texture.

Fold the roasted squash, Parmesan cheese, remaining butter and fresh herbs into the rice. Check for seasoning and serve immediately.

Emergency Sustenance

I threw my back out. And of course I had to do this on a long holiday weekend. Since I live on the 3rd floor of a building with out and elevator nor a real working buzzer, it is easier for me to walk, hunched over to the kitchen, lean on the counter and cook something than it is to navigate the stairs and out to the street to get something delivered. What’s the fastest thing to make out of my freezer, fajitas! I always buy London broil or other cuts of lean steak when it goes on sale and fill my freezer with it to be frugal. Thank god.

Easy Fajitas

2lbs London broil or skirt steak
1 package of frozen pepper strips from Trader Joes or 2 red bell peppers sliced thin
1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin half circles
salt
garlic powder
fajita seasoning ( I by mine at William Sonoma or Whole Foods)
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

On a large sheet pan, mix the peppers and onions. Liberally sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder and fajita seasoning. Throw on a few splashes of olive oil and toss. Spread it all evenly on the pan and place on the middle rack of the oven for about 10 minutes, till the veggies soften. While the veggies are in the oven, thinly slice the steak against the grain. Once the veggies have gotten soft, add the steak and more of the other ingredients if necessary. Toss and place it back in the oven. After 5 minutes, turn the steak and put it all back in the oven until its at your desired doneness.

Serve with a salad or tortillas, salsa, rice, beans and cheese.

For love or chocolate

I started a new job for the month of January. To win over my co-workers I quickly whipped this up. It worked like a charm. This will melt anyone’s heart.

Raspberry Filled Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes:

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
1-1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c brewed coffee
2 t pure vanilla extract
2 T vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.

2. Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl.

3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure and mix the oil, water (or coffee), and vanilla. Slowly and gently pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl and mix the batter with a whisk.

4. When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls (and some bubbling) in the batter where the baking soda and vinegar are reacting. Stir just until the vinegar is evenly distributed throughout the batter (the color becomes more consistent throughout).

5. Pour batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes--testing with a toothpick. Remove to a cooling rack and frost.

Vegan Vanilla Icing
1 c shorting (transfat free)
3 c powdered sugar
½ T vanilla extract
1/8 c soymilk
4 drops of food coloring

1. Beat all ingredients on low, then high with an electric mixer, until fluffy.

Raspberry Filling
1 frozen bag of raspberries
1 cup of sugar
2 T corn starch
Water

1. Heat raspberries and sugar in a pot on the stove at medium high heat until bubbling.
2. Mix corn starch with just enough water to make a lump free slurry.
3. Add corn starch mixture to raspberries and stir, still on the heat, till the mixture is thick and clear and glossy.


Cupcake Assembly:
1. After cupcakes and raspberries are cooled to room temperature, you can start assembling.

2. Cut a cone shape out of the top of each cupcake. Cut the bottom part off of the cone of the cap, eat or discard.

3. Fill the cupcake with a spoon full of filling, place cap back onto to seal in the filling. This doesn’t have to be perfect.

4. Pipe the icing onto each cupcake

5. Decorate as you like.

Simple Pleasures

This is the perfect dish for when the snow starts to come down in January. It is healthy but really hearty.

San Francisco Seafood Stew

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 cup drained, diced tomatoes (from a 15-ounce can)
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
3/4 pound skinless snapper fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sourdough toast, for serving

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, clam juice, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and hot sauce and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
Add the clams, cover and cook just until most of them open, about 5 minutes. Add the snapper and shrimp, cover and simmer until they are cooked through and the remaining clams have opened, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the seafood to 4 bowls. Add the butter and parsley and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute, swirling the pan. Spoon the broth over the seafood and serve with sourdough toast.

My fridge smells like Korea

I was reading a new book, Trail of Crumbs, about a Korean orphan and all I wanted was beef and kimchee. I got some great fresh kimchee from the Union Square green market and saw these short ribs at Whole Foods. So I devised this dish to satisfy my craving.

Korean Short Ribs

6 boneless beef short ribs
Olive oil
½ onion, chopped
sesame oil
garlic powder
soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
Korean bbq marinade

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a sauté pan with a metal handle, quickly sear each side of the ribs. Sprinkle with all of the ingredients and place in the oven for at least 2 hours until the meat is tender.

Take out the ribs and pour off the fat, leaving the sauce in the pan. On the stove top, further reduce the sauce if necessary.

Serve with brown rice, crispy onions, fresh been sprouts and kimchee.

Health in the New Year

Farro, Italian wheat berry is a great hearty lunch item. Mixed with a variety of antipasto, it is a yummy savory snack.

Farro Antipasto Salad

1 ½ cups raw farro
3 cups chicken broth
½ tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
zucchini
3 large chicken sausages
olive oil
½ cup marinated mushrooms
2 roasted red peppers
3 large marinated artichoke hearts
6 oven-roasted tomatoes
¼ cup mixed olives
¼ cup marinated fava beans
¼ cup cubed marinated feta
¼ cup marinated boccochini
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley

Bring chicken broth, faro, garlic powder and salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover until tender. Checking to see if the faro needs more liquid.

In a sauté pan, brown bite size piece of zucchini in olive oil, place in a large bowl. In that same pan, sauté the chicken sausage in olive oil. Place in the bowl.

Chop all of the antipasto items into bite size pieces. Finely mince the parsley. Toss all ingredients with the farro. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Serve heated, so the mozzarella just melts.

Perfect for a cold winter's night

When I first wrote this recipe it was chocked full of cream and butter. Then I gave it to Frances to “make over” for Health Magazine. The original had over 1000 calories in it. I couldn’t bring myself to give up all of the fat, so here is a good, but still decedent, lighter version.

Tipple Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Bread Pudding

Cooking spray
1 loaf challah or brioche bread, cut into 1-inch
4 large eggs
½ cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup bourbon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 white chocolate chip
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup sugar
2 cups cream, divided

Spray 2 muffin tins with the cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla, bourbon and salt. Soak the bread in the egg mixture for 1 hour. Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Fold in the chocolate. Fill each individual muffin cup with the brad and chocolate mixture and bake for 1 hour till the pudding puffs up and is golden brown.

While the pudding is cooking, heat the sugar in a saucepan at medium high. Swirling the pan as the sugar melts and caramelizes. Pour 1 cup of cream into the sugar and let it boil to combine. Continue to let the caramel boil to thicken.

Beat the remaining cup of cream to a stiff whip.

Serve the warm bread puddings with the caramel and whipped cream.

Southern Comfort

I made biscuits for Barbara’s Southern lucky New Year’s dinner party. I was sure to make extra so that I had my own special treat!

Biscuits with Sausage and Gravy

Biscuits
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup cream
Freshly ground pepper
Turkey breakfast sausage
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour

Heat oven 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter. Mix in cream. Kneed the dough by folding it over and over and over again to build in layers. Using a glass cut out even shapes. Briefly re-work the scraps into another round of dough and continue to cut out biscuits. Brush with cream and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

In a large skillet brown the turkey sausage; turn once to brown on multiple sides. Once the sausage is cooked, removed it from the pan and set aside. Add the milk to the pan to deglaze. Add salkt and pepper and scrape all of the sausage bits into the gravy.

In a small bowl mix the flour with just enough water to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the flour mixture into the milk. Constantly stir as the heat thickens the gravy.

Using a fork, cut open each biscuit, serve with the gravy and sausage.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat

My downstairs neighbor, Dave, is the master of meat. Though he is Jewish we have spent the past two Christmas Eves together. This year, we threw a big dinner and roasted a whole goose. It was glorious. However, that bird produced fat in biblical proportions. So I made potatoes!

Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes

6 russet potatoes
salt and pepper
½ cup rendered goose fat
2 cloves of garlic
1 head of flat leaf parsley

Pre heat your oven to its hottest setting.

Wash and scrub each potato. Cut each into approximately 1 inch, bite size pieces. Try to keep each piece an even size so that they will all cook at the same time. Place the potatoes in a bowl of salted water while you cut up each potato.

Drain the potatoes and place them on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper and coat them in the goose fat. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes.

Finely mince the garlic and parsley while the potatoes are roasting in the oven

Using tongs, turn the potatoes so that they can crisp on more than one side. Roast for another 30 minutes.

When the potatoes come out of the oven, sprinkle them with the garlic and parsley and more salt and pepper, serve.

Foie the Love of...

Foie Gras Torchon With Sauternes Fig Compote

1 lobe of foie gras
1 quart of milk
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pink salt (nitrates)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
1 carton chicken broth
1 bottle Sauternes
1 pint of fresh figs
1 loaf of Brioche

Let the lobe site at room temperature for one hour, so it softens up. Using a small sharp knife, separate the lobe into its two halves and carefully pull out the veins. It's ok if pieces fall off. You will be squishing it all back together at another time. Put the foie into a container and cover it with the milk. Put a lid or plastic wrap over it and place it back in the fridge, over night.

Drain the foie and briefly rinse it off. Pat it dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the foie with the salts, sugar and pepper. Put it back in the container and back in the fridge. Let it cure over night.

The next day, let the foie sit out for at least an hour to soften up. In a large stock pout heat up the chicken broth and sauternes, until it is a light boil. Squish all of the foie together to form a log. Roll it up in cheese cloth and tie the ends. Boil the log in the chicken broth for 2o minutes and immediately submerge it in an ice bath.

Wrap the log in a dish town, tightly, and tie the ends together. Hang the torchon in your fridge at least over night.

Reduce the chicken broth mixture til there is only about a cup or two of liquid. Thinly slice the figs and add them to the reduced liquid. Boil it all down, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the torchon into ½ inch disks. One at a time, in a very hot skillet, quickly sear each side of the torchon. Remove the melted fate between each piece to guarantee a crispy sear.

Serve each piece of foie with a piace of Brioche toast and some of the warm fig compote.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream...

The most decedent dessert is homemade ice cream. I made this tangy creamy treat to accompany the Apple Hazelnut tart. I think this version was way too eggy. I don’t like the yellow color. But its still yummy.

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
1 cup half and half
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks

1 cup crème fraîche

Combine half and half and cream in heavy large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and yolks in large bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Gradually beat in warm cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on spoon when finger is drawn across, about 6 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk in crème fraîche. Cover and chill custard until cold, about 3 hours.

Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to covered container. Freeze until firm.

Sweet Tart

Tarts are a quick solution for that impressive desert. There is something about the arrangement of glossy fruit that make’s people’s mouths water. My crust recipe can be use to make a double crusted pie, so why not make two tarts instead. The more the merrier.

Christmas tarts: Apple Hazelnut and Chocolate Raspberry

Crust
1 ½ cups flour
1 stick of butter, slightly cooler than room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup water

In a large metal bowl, mix all ingredients, except the water with a fork or pastry cutter. The goal is to incorporate the butter until it is the texture of course meal. Slowly sprinkle in the water and quickly mix. Making sure not to put in too much water, briefly kneed the pastry so that it forms a cohesive ball.

Separate the dough into two equal rounds. On a well flowered counter top, roll out each round of dough till it fits into each tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the corners and trim off the top. Set each aside.

Apple and Hazelnut Filling
1 cup shelled hazelnuts, toasted
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 large egg
1 stick unsalted butter, divided
¼ teaspoon vanilla
3 large granny smith apples, pealed, cored and sliced into 1/8 inch slices
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
¼ cup water

Toss the apple slices in the lemon juice and set aside.

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a blender puree the hazelnuts, sugar, egg, ½ stick of butter and vanilla until they form a paste. Spread the hazelnut paste over the bottom of the pastry.

Starting from the outside arrange the apple slices, over lapping to make a rose pattern. There should be no pastry or hazelnut peeking through. Really pack in all of the apples. Sprinkle the apples with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and dot the remaining ½ stick of butter over the apple. Back in the over until the apple and crust are golden brown, about 1 hour.

When the tart is close to being finished, heat the jam and water in a small saucepan until melted. Once the tart comes out of the oven brush the jam mixture over the apples, coating lightly, so that they apples are shinny. Let the tart cool to room temperature before serving.


Chocolate Raspberry Filling

1 lb semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup of cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 pints raspberries
2 tablespoons apricot preserves 

¼ cup water

Fill the tart shell with beans or pie weights. Bake in a 350 degree oven until it is golden brown.

Place the raspberries into a colander and lightly rinse. Cover with paper towels and let dry.

While the tart shell is cooling, place the chopped chocolate into a metal or heat proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan on medium high until scalding. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and add the vanilla. Let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes so that the chocolate melts. Using a whisk, submerged vertically in the center of the bowl, whisk in a circular motion until the cream combines with the chocolate to form a silky ganache. Pour the chocolate into the tart shell.

Starting at the outside, arrange the berries, stem side down, in concentric circle till all of the chocolate is covered as much as possible.

Heat the jam and water in a small saucepan until melted. Brush the jam mixture over the berries, coating lightly, so that they are shinny. Let the tart cool so that the chocolate sets, before serving.

I'm dreaming of a chocolate Christmas

To me, Christmas means desserts. This year I spent Christmas eve in New York City with some of my closest friends. It took two days for me to make this cake and it was worth every second. This is so rich and impressive looking. Unfortunately after just one piece, I was satiated.

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake

Cake
2 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon dalt
2 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa
½ cup shortening
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mousse
2 pints strawberries, stems removed
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
4 ounces white chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
6 egg whites
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 ounce pieces

Garnish
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Pre heat the over to 350 degrees. Heavily grease one 10 inch round cake plan.

Combine all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a spoon. Put the bowl into the mixer and add all of the wet ingredients. Beat the batter on low with the balloon whisk. Once the ingredients look combined, scrap down the sides with a rubber spatula and then mix the batter on high till it turns a lighter brown color. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and cook for at least 3o minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan, on top of a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the wire rack and gently tap the bottom of the pan. Lift the pan and let the cake cool completely on the wire rack. Once the cake is cooled, using a serrated knife, cut the cake into two equal rounds.

To prepare the chocolate and strawberry mousse, reserve the 12 best-looking strawberries to decorate the top of the cake. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree 10 strawberries and then strain it, to remove the seeds, so that it yields ½ a cup of puree. Set aside until needed. Refrigerate the remaining berries until needed (that includes the 12 berries for decoration) Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 16 ounces semisweet chocolate, the white chocolate and the strawberry puree in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Allow to heat for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Transfer to a stainless steel bowl, using a rubber spatula to remove all of the melted chocolate mixture. Keep at room temperature until needed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip, whisk the 6 egg whites on high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk on high while gradually adding 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk until stiff but not dry, about 30 seconds. Set aside at room temperature until needed.
Using a hand-held whisk, whip the heavy cream in a well-chilled stainless steel bowl until stiff. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in the whipped cream. Now fold in the remaining egg whites. Set aside at room temperature until needed.

Assemble a 10 inch springform pan. Place one layer in the bottom of the pan, trim ever so slightly, if necessary to get it to snuggle fit. Spread 1/2 cup of chocolate strawberry mousse onto the cake layer in the assembled springform pan. Arrange the reserved strawberries (not including the 12 for decoration), stem side down, into the mousse. The berries should be arranged in 2 rings: the first ring being 3/4-inch from the outside edge of the cake, and the second, inside ring, 3/4-inch away from the first. Distribute the rest of the mousse over the berries, being careful to keep the berries in position. Holding the pan by the top rim, gently but firmly tap the bottom of the pan 2 to 3 times on your work surface (this will eliminate air pockets). Position a cake layer on top of the mousse and gently press into position. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours (do not freeze).

Make the ganache. Heat the heavy cream, butter, and sugar in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Remove the sides from the springform pan (do not remove the bottom of the pan from the cake; this will make it easier to handle later). Use a cake spatula to smooth and fill in the sides of the cake with 2 to 3 tablespoons of room-temperature ganache. Evenly spread the remaining amount of this ganache over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour.

Whip the heavy cream and vanilla until it is full and thick. Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake and a large one in the center of the cake. Place a strawberry, stem side down, into each whipped cream rosette. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.

Cut the cake with a serrated slicer, heating the blade of the slicer under hot running water before making each slice. Allow the slices to come to room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Goodness

Sometimes I like to make this with cheddar cheese and beer. If you dip apples, kielbasa and broccoli into it, it is truly the all American treat, and goes really will with boring football games. This version uses the classic Swiss cheese and a classic German wine, a Riesling. Serve this with a crisp bib lettuce salad and a mustard vinaigrette.

Swiss Fondue
1 shallot, finely minced
1 clove of garlic, finely minces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups of white wine
3/4 lb Gruyere cheese, grated
½ lb Emmental, grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons Kirsch or water
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Bite sized for dipping: bead, seasoned and cooked chicken, cooked sausage, sautéed shrimp, blanched broccoli, blanched asparagus spears, sautéed mushrooms, raw pears

In a large pot on medium high, heat the olive oil and sautée the shallots and garlic until soft but not brown. Add the wine and let it reduce by half. Add the cheese to the pot and melt. Mix the kirsch or water with the cornstarch till smooth. Using a whisk, add the cornstarch to the cheese mixture and continually stir until the fondue resembles a silky shinny dip. Taste the cheese and season with the salt, pepper and maybe a pinch of sugar to taste.

Sever immediately with the items for dipping.

A Late October Fest

Apple Strudel is an easy version of apple pie. It is lighter and more refreshing and takes no time to make. I made this for our weekly Sunday dinner, served with some fresh whipped cream, and got rave reviews. Feel free to mix up with you put in with the apples. The raisins and walnuts are a tradition approach, but you could always try cranberries, currents or maybe hazelnuts or almonds. I like to slice the apples really thin so that they bake faster.

Apple Strudel

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, meted
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Juice of ½ a lemon
1/2 cup plus 2 table spoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
8 (17x13-inch) sheets phyllo pastry, thawed if frozen

In a large bowl, mix apples, lemon juice, sugar, salt, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts. Set aside.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat mat. Transfer 1 large phyllo sheet to baking sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat process with all 8 sheets of phyllo.

Fill the phyllo with the apple mixture, longwise. Fold over each of the short edges and then roll the apples into a log. Position the strudel on the baking sheet, seam side down. Brush the outside with butter and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Cut the strudel into even slices, but not cutting all the way down to the baking sheet. This will make it easier to cut after the strudel is cooked.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 60 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Cut using a serrated knife.

Procrastination

Ok I admit it, I procrastinate. But it was worth the wait. I have been cooking up a storm, mostly sweet treats, and here they are, for your cooking spender.