Classic King Cake

Taste of the South photo

Traditional for Mardi Gras, this is worth spending the time on. 

A few years ago Taste of the South magazine published this recipe. I'd only had store-bought King Cakes and they were no treat, believe me. So I gave this a whirl. Not only was it easier than I thought it would be, but it was absolutely delicious. In fact, my friend Patsy, who grew up in Dallas, said she'd never had one that tasted so good. 

 I hereby pass it along to anyone who wants the real reason to celebrate right before Lent begins.

 I didn't have the traditional purple colored sugar to go along with the green and yellow, but red makes a nice display also! After all, it all tastes the same.

Leftovers freeze well. Or you can look at it as the perfect opportunity to share with friends and family. Everyone likes it when I make King Cake!

Also a 12" wreath is quite large, however I have tried making two smaller wreaths and it just doesn't work for proper shaping. So go big for Mardi Gras!

CLASSIC KING CAKE

 

Yields: 1 (12-inch) wreath

 

Ingredients

• 4 to 4¼ cups bread flour, divided
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 (0.25-ounce) package instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 1 egg yolk
• Almond Cream (recipe follows)
• Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)
• Garnish: colored sanding sugar
  
  Almond Cream
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1⅓ cups almond meal
• 1 large egg
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  
  Cream Cheese Icing (I myself prefer a simple medium frosting made from confectioner's sugar and milk. Suit your own taste.)

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat ½ cup water, milk, and butter over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 120° to 130°. Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture, beating at medium speed until combined and cooled slightly, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and egg yolk, beating at medium speed until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 cups flour, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed.
3. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms, about 6 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape dough hook and sides of bowl as needed. (Add up to remaining ¼ cup flour, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is too sticky.)
4. On a lightly floured surface, shape dough into a smooth ball. Place dough in prepared bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 egg and remaining 1 tablespoon water.
6. Lightly punch down dough. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 24×2-inch rectangle. Spread Almond Cream onto dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one long side. Brush border with egg wash. Starting with other long side, roll up dough, jelly roll style; pinch seam to seal. Using a serrated knife dipped in flour, trim ½-inch off each end of log. Form into a circle. Brush ends with egg wash and press together, pinching dough to seal. Carefully place wreath on a piece of parchment paper.
7. Using a serrated knife or kitchen scissors, makes cuts three-fourths of the way through the dough, 1 inch apart, leaving the center of wreath intact. Gently pull and turn each slice onto its side, slightly overlapping with the previous piece. Slide parchment onto a rimless baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until puffed, 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350°.
9. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake until lightly golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°, 30 to 35 minutes, loosely covering with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Spread with Cream Cheese Icing. Garnish with colored sanding sugar, if desired.

For Almond Cream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in almond meal until combined. Add egg and almond extract, beating on low until combined. Beat in flour and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Cream Cheese Icing

1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, beating on low until smooth.

Tomato-Basil Soup

This has become a classic soup during my lifetime. I recall when La Madeleine restaurants in Dallas served it to rave comments, sold it bottled at grocery stores, and yet ... I never tried it.

I love regular Tomato Soup and though I believed the accolades I just didn't think I needed to eat Tomato Soup that often. It turns out I was wrong.

Rose came across it when living in L.A. and immediately found a recipe which she made regularly. She's been back in Dallas for years now, living at home, and it has become a staple for our meatless Friday meals. We love it, especially paired with a Grilled Jalapeño Jack Cheese Sandwich.

As my husband observed, "I always just thought I didn't like Tomato Soup before. Turns out I was eating the wrong soup!"

It helps that it is super easy.

Note: this freezes well and we often make a double recipe so that there's always some on hand.

Tomato-Basil Soup

Step 1:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Once hot, add onions and season generously with salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring to avoid burning the garlic.

Step 2:
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 cups good-quality chicken stock
Salt and pepper

Stir in the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer for at least 15 minutes. Feel free to leave it longer if you forget about it.

Purée mixture using an immersion blender or carefully transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth. If using a blender, return mixture to the pot.

Step 3:
1 cup heavy cream
1 bunch basil, torn into small bite-size pieces
Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

Stir in the cream and basil and let simmer for at least 15 minutes or until preferred consistency. Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and basil.

Pesto alla Genovese

I first posted this in 2015. Clearly it is time to share it again! It is a family favorite and without fail I plant basil every spring so that I can harvest it throughout the year for this Pesto.

Pesto alla Genovese
(a.k.a. Basil, Garlic and Cheese Sauce)
via Wikipedia

The Time-Life Foods of the World books gave my family many favorites that were exotic in the 1960s but are standard now. So when Rose asked for our pesto recipe I knew The Cooking of Italy was the place to turn. You'll see many variations in different cookbooks but none are better than this.

It freezes well and that's a good thing because the July Texas sun turns my basil plants into monsters that have me making pesto once a week. The harvest keeps going into the fall.

This recipe gives techniques for the blender (this was before food processors which is what I use) and the old fashioned mortar and pestle. I'll just leave that technique out because if someone is using those then they've already got a recipe. And they're more dedicated to authenticity than I'll ever be.

Pesto alla Genovese

Makes about 1-1/2 to 2 cups

2 cups fresh basil leaves, stripped from their stems, coarsely chopped and tightly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped pine nuts or walnuts
1 to 1-1/2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated imported sardo, romano, or Parmesan cheese

Combine the coarsely chopped fresh basil, salt, pepper, garlic, nuts, and 1 cup of olive oil in the blender jar. Blend them at high speed until the ingredients are smooth, stopping the blender every 5 or 6 seconds to push the herbs down with a rubber spatula.

The sauce should be thin enough to run off the spatula easily. If it seems too thick, blend in as much as 1/2 cup more olive oil. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese.

Baked Pasta with Tomato, Cream and Five Cheeses

 This is from The Wall Street Journal's regular Slow Food Fast column which features a different chef each month. I clipped the recipe way back in 2019 and it doesn't show up on the WSJ website but it's from Al Forno chef Johanne Killeen. We liked it so much that I'm picking up her On Top of Spaghetti cookbook from the library. (Also, how can you resist that book's name? You can't!)

It was so easy that I didn't change a thing. And it was delicious.

Note: every other place carrying this recipe has these changes from what the WSJ printed: 2 c. cream, 1-1/2 oz. Parmesan and fontina, and gorgonzola, 4 oz sliced fresh mozzarella. I will try these some time also.

Baked Pasta with Tomato, Cream and Five Cheeses

Step 1

1 pound penne rigate

Heat oven to 500°. Boil pasta until just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes, and drain.

Step 2

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup chopped canned tomatoes

1 ounce Parmesan

1 ounce coarsely grated Fontina

1 ounce crumbled Gorgonzola

2 tablespoons Ricotta

4 ounces grated Mozzarella

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 large, fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the pasta and butter. Add hot pasta and toss until cheese is evenly distributed.

Step 3

4 tablespoons butter

Place in a shallow (1 inch) layer in a large baking dish. Dot with the butter, and bake until brown and bubbly on top, 7 to 10 minutes.

Mom's Creamed Tuna

First published here in 2005, it's time for a reprint! Especially during Lent!

I don't know where my mother got this recipe but it is the touch of nutmeg and the walnuts that make it shine. I often leave the nuts out so don't let those stop you in making this. It was one of our favorites growing up and my kids love it too.

Step 1:
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 dashes Tabasco
2 cups milk
Make a white sauce. Stir over low heat until thickened. (For instructions on making a white sauce, take a look at the recipe for Pasta Baked with Bechamel and Parmigiano ... bechamel is Italian for white sauce.)

Step 2:
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
12 ounces tuna
Sautéed sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/3 cup broken walnuts (optional)
Add cheese, stir until melted. Add remaining and heat to serving temperature. Serve over rice or noodles.

Linguine with Chickpeas and Zucchini

 This is perfect for a meatless meal anytime. It was on one of those handy, dandy recipe cards in Cook's Country way back in 2018. The photo isn't preposessing but it is simply delicious. AND inexpensive!

• Don't skip the parsley. For me, that makes the dish. 
• This is mildly flavored so it might be good for kids. Also, since the zucchini is shredded and the chickpeas are mashed up some, it might be easy to slip past kids who might otherwise balk at such ingredients. 
• This is also good without the red pepper flakes if you have people who can't eat those.
• They designed this recipe to be made sequentially in one pan. I'd rather make two and have the rest done at about the time the pasta is. If fewer pans matters more, then cook and drain the pasta. Use the Dutch oven to make the "sauce."

Linguine with Chickpeas and Zucchini
1 pound linguine
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 medium zucchini, shredded on large holes of a box grater and patted dry
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
2 ounces (1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve (1/2) cup cooking water, then drain pasta. (I don't add any pasta water to the final dish.)

Meanwhile, heat oil, garlic, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper over medium heat until garlic is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini and chickpeas and cook until zucchini is wilted and most of its excess moisture has cooked off, about 6 minutes. Using potato masher, lightly mash chickpeas.

Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, pasta, and reserved cooking water. Serve, passing lemon wedges, extra oil, and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan separately. (I often stir in a glug or two of olive oil at the end if the pasta seems dry, since I don't use the reserved pasta water.)

Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt in Pita Bread

This is from Bon Appetit and you can find it online on Epicurious. It was really delicious.

The only problem we had was that the mixture was rather soft when forming patties. Looking over the comments there was a person from Egypt who said that canned garbanzos are too mushy and soaking dried ones for 24 hours is the proper way to do it. Without cooking them at all. This blew our minds and I began pulling out cookbooks that were the closest to primary sources as I had.

They agreed! My goodness! We will be going on an adventure the next time we make these, but in the meantime the recipe below works well and is simply delicious.

We're going to double the sauce next time but that's really the only change, aside from the fact that we didn't have pita bread so wrapped them in flour tortillas instead. Delicious!

Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt in Pita Bread

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped onion
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large egg
Olive oil
4 warm pita breads, top third cut off
Sliced tomatoes
Crisp lettuce leaves

Step 1
Whisk yogurt, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup onion, 1 garlic clove, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in medium bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 2
Blend garbanzo beans, 3 tablespoons flour, cumin, remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, 4 garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in processor until almost smooth. Add egg and remaining 3/4 cup onion and blend, using on/off turns, until onion is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Turn patties in remaining 1/2 cup flour to coat on both sides.

Step 3
Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes per side. Open pita breads; slide 1 patty, sliced tomato and lettuce into each. Spoon in some yogurt mixture.

Cheat's Souffle with Three Cheeses

Here's a little something that makes a truly delicious Lenten Friday meal. Serve it with rolls and a salad.

This is from Gordon Ramsay and has become a regular, especially on our meatless Fridays. It heats up really well for breakfast too!

Cheat’s Soufflé With Three Cheeses  

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup cottage cheese
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9x13" baking dish.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder in a bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the beaten eggs, milk nand a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir in cottage cheese and grated cheese. Dot small lumps of cream cheese over the egg mixture and then mix in with a spoon.

Pour into the greased baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and set all the way through.

Mushroom Galette

Meatless Fridays are here! If you're looking for something different and meatless, try this. This is from Taste of the South magazine and has a sophisticated taste and look without being difficult.

Mushroom Galette

Step 1:

2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 10 minutes.

All all else. Cook until aromatic, about 1 minute more. Drain any excess moisture.

Step 2:

1 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 cup shredded Gruyére cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 piecrust, whether packaged or homemade
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Gruyére, and salt.

Roll piecrust into a 9" circle or unroll packaged crust. Spread 1 cup cheese mixutre onto crust in a think layer, leaving a 1-1/2-inch border. Top with mushroom mixture and reamining Gruyére; gently fold edges of dough over filling.

Brush dough with egg; bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Eggplant with Molten Mozzarella

The Wall Street Journal ran a story yesterday tellingly titled "No Lucky Charms, Plenty of Okra — What's Left at the Grocery Store."

That is one of the boxes I checked when I was caught up in last week's grocery panic. The most deserted place in the store was the produce section, where I had wandered in search of lemons. (Hey, you need those for cocktails and I was fairly sure cocktails were on our family's emergency list.)

I gravitated to the fully stocked eggplant — some of the most beautiful I'd seen lately — remembering this recipe, which I'd planned to make so the ingredients were fairly top of mind. To be sure it doesn't take many ingredients and is easy, so it's perfect just for an easy meal or for a food panic day when everyone else ignored those gorgeous eggplants.

This is a wonderfully easy and delicious pasta dish from Pasta: Every Way for Every Day. It's also perfect for meatless meals and Fridays in Lent.

I doubled the eggplant (which practically disappeared in the original dish) and the red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and oregano (to keep the sauce flavoring ratios the same for the eggplant).

The molten mozzarella part is a variation to the original recipe, so I'm putting both the original (adapted) and the variation below.

Eggplant with Chili and Garlic
Serves 4

Step 1:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch dice (originally 14 oz.)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (originally 1/2 t.)

Heat oil in a skillet. Add eggplant, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently over high heat, until golden, 5-7 minutes. Turn down heat to medium low.

Step 2:
1/4 cup tomato paste (originally 2 T)
2 teaspoons dried oregano (originally 1 t.)
salt, black pepper

Stir in tomato paste and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant dice are soft and cooked through, 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons hot water to the pan if the eggplant begins to stick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3:
1 pound dried pasta, tubes or shapes: penne, rigatoni, orecchiette
Parmesan

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, until firm to the bite. Drain. Add pasta with 2 tablespoons additional olive oil to the hot sauce. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately with Parmesan to sprinkle on.

Variation: Eggplant with Molten Mozzarella

Stir 8 ounces diced, part skim mozzarella into the finished sauce and pasta right before serving, omitting the additional olive oil.

New School Tuna Casserole

This is from Cooking Light. It's a tangy alternative to the regular tuna casserole and I like them both.

We adapted it slightly, using more salt (as always with CL recipes), regular egg noodles instead of whole-wheat, and tarragon instead of dill (it's what we had on hand).

We also forgot to pick up chicken stock so used all milk for the sauce, embellishing with a judicial splash of Worcestershire.

New School Tuna Casserole
Serves 6 generously.

Step 1

12 ounces uncooked egg noodles

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook noodles until very al dente.

Step 2

1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add mushrooms; cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender, about 4 more minutes. Add thyme; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Step 3

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
2-1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 5-ounce cans albacore tuna in water, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Add butter; stir to melt. Whisk in flour; cook until roux is golden, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; whisk in milk, tomato paste, mustard, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper. Return to a simmer; simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Pour mixture into bowl with noodles. Stir in tuna and dill.

Step 4

2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)

Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer tuna mixture to baking dish; top with cheese. Bake at 375°F until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

This is really great. It's from Jim Fobel's Casseroles which I've had since it came out in 1997. It's meatless but so flavorful no one will care. In fact, we added chicken once and couldn't really tell it was in there. So we stick with the original.

It reheats well, can be made in advance, freezes well, and I've never had anyone not like it.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

3 15-ounce cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 jalapeno pepper, minced with the seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5-1/4 cups water
1-1/2 cups canned, diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup scallion, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups yellow cornmeal (coarse)
1-1/2 cups low-fat plain yogurt (I use regular sour cream)
2 cups (8 oz.) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup tomato sauce

For serving (optional — I never bother)
sour cream
black olives
radish
fresh cilantro stem

DIRECTIONS
In a sealable plastic bag or shallow dish, combine the black beans, sherry, and lemon juice. Marinate in the refrigerator 2 to 12 hours. Drain before using.

Spoon the olive oil into a heavy nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over moderately high heat. Add the corn, toss once, then let brown very well, about 5 minutes. Toss again and continue browning for a minute or two. Add the jalapeno, garlic, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Cook a minute or two, then pour in 1/4 cup of the water to deglaze the pan.

Turn out into a large bowl and toss in the tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro.

The recipe may be prepared a day ahead to this point.

Bring 3 cups of the water and the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the cornmeal and remaining 2 cups cold water.

Add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water and stir constantly until the mixture returns to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is as thick as mashed potatoes, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of the yogurt.

Cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until again as thick as mashed potatoes, about 8 minutes.
Spread about 2/3 of the cornmeal batter in a lightly oiled 9x13" casserole (keep the remainder covered over hot water to keep warm), making a 1 inch raised edge all around.

Spoon the drained black beans on top and press in lightly.

Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups of the cheese over the beans.

Add all of the corn-tomato mixture and spread into an even layer.

Spoon the remaining cornmeal mixture over the top in dabs and spread to make an even layer that covers the top (it's ok if some of the vegetables show through).

Spoon the remaining yogurt and the canned tomato sauce in alternating diagonal lines. (I never do this part.)

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour, or until deep golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Cut into squares, remove them with a spatula, and serve hot, with a dolllop of sour cream, a couple black olives and radish slices, and a sprig of cilantro, if desired.

If making ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with foil, and refrigerate. To reheat sprinkle the casserole with 2 to 3 tablespoons water and cover with foil. If at room temperature, bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. If cold, add about 15 minutes.

Spinach & Egg Pie

This is from Paul Hollywood's website where you can see a photo of the finished pie. It is absolutely delicious.

We feel as if the world is a small place and we are all alike. Until, that is, we begin baking with British recipes!

For one thing the measurements, beginning with the oven temperature, can be mystifying. This conversion chart helps considerably!

Notes:

• We doubled the amount of spinach which would have been nearly enough to match the result that we saw in the picture. 
• See what you think of the eggs nestled in the pie. I loved the idea but when we were eating it the result was if one was tucking into a delicious meal and then stopped by a roadblock of boiled egg. I mean, we like boiled eggs but it just didn't work for us. So next time we'll just skip that bit.

Spinach & Egg Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry
- 275g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 135g cold butter, diced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp lemon juice

For the filling
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 225g frozen spinach (double this)
- 5 medium eggs
- 200g cream cheese
- 100g mature cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 medium egg - beaten for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6. (400°)

Mix the flour and salt together. Rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Mix the egg with the lemon juice and 2-3 tbsp of cold water. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the egg mix. Use a knife to mix together and form a dough. If the dough is too dry add a splash more water.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes.

Gently heat the oil and then cook the onion and garlic until soft. Transfer to a bowl. Add the frozen spinach to the pan and increase the heat. Cook, stirring often until all the spinach is soft and all the liquid released has evaporated. Add the spinach to the onion and garlic and leave to cool.

Beat two of the eggs with the cream cheese. Add the cheddar and chives, and then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add to the cooled onion and spinach mixture.

Roll out 2/3 of the pastry not a 30cm circle and add to a lined 21cm loose bottom cake tin. Roll out the remaining pastry to a 24cm circle. Spread the filling over the base. Make 3 evenly spaced depressions in the filling. Crack the remaining eggs into each of the depressions.

Brush the rim of the pastry with egg wash and place a lid on top. Press the edges to seal. Trim off any excess pastry. Brush the top with egg wash. Make a steam hole in the centre of the lid. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

Can be eaten hot or cold.

Hash Brown Frittata

This is from Cook's Country and is a real find. They say it makes enough for 4 but we all agreed that it can feed six.

It's got a fresh but filling quality that is an unusual combination, but very satisfying. Somehow the asparagus remains crisp.

Note: we used a whole pound of asparagus instead of the 8 ounces called for. Hey, it comes in pound bundles and what are we gonna do with a leftover half pound? We already know — nothing but watch it wilt. And it was delicious with all that crispy asparagus in there.

Hash Brown Frittata

12 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
Salt and pepper
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, shredded and patted dry
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Whisk eggs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Stir in asparagus and chives and set aside.

Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Using rubber spatula, spread and pack potatoes into even layer in bottom of pan. Pour egg mixture over top and sprinkle with Gruyere.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until egg mixture has set, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from heat nd let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, slice into wedges, and serve.

Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes

These are from Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking and they will completely revolutionize the image that springs into your head when someone says "fish cake." They are fresh, lively, and absolutely delicious.

Notes: we made this with tuna canned in water and they seemed rather dry. Later I realized that tuna packed in oil is much more common and would be a better choice both for moisture and (possibly) to help hold them together better.

We couldn't find the kaffir lime leaves and, behold, the dish was delicious without them!

Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes

1 pound good-quality tinned tuna (we used four 6-ounce cans)
6 tinned water chestnuts, drained and finely sliced
3 green onions, trimmed and sliced
1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped (rehydrated for 5 minutes in boiling water if dried)
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
2 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Dipping Sauce:
Good pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons chopped coriander


First make the dipping sauce. Mix together all the sauce ingredients, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust the flavours as necessary. Set aside.

Drain the tuna and place in a bowl; use a fork to separate the chunks. Add the water chestnuts, spring onions, ginger, coriander, chilli and lime leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Add the fish sauce and beaten eggs. Mix well.

Squeezing the mixture to tightly compress it and get rid of any excess liquid, shape it into balls the size of golf balls. Flatten them lightly into patties.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and shallow-fry the fishcakes on each side for 1–2 minutes until golden on all sides and heated through. Serve with the dipping sauce.

North African Eggs

These are from Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking. Rose loves Ramsay's cookbooks and I definitely have come around to her way of thinking. Not only are the recipes generally simple and well conceived but they always work. Someone really tested these and, the state of cookbook testing being what it is these days, I appreciate that a lot!

This is essentially eggs poached in a flavorful tomato sauce. It makes a wonderful meatless meal and is a lot more filling than you would think. Gordon Ramsay suggests them for breakfast but I'm just not that adventurous in the morning.

We serve them with a crusty sourdough roll and it makes a simple and exotic meal.


North African Eggs

Olive oil, for frying
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 red chili, seeded and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes aren’t quite ripe)
4 eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 green onion, trimmed and finely chopped
Crusty bread

METHOD

Serves 2-4

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add a dash of oil and sweat the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the peppers and continue to sweat for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and chili and fry for 1–2 minutes until soft and tender.

Add the cumin and fry for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, season and cook for 15–20 minutes until the tomatoes have completely collapsed (add 3–4 tablespoons of water to the mixture if the tomatoes aren’t that moist). The mixture should be the consistency of a thick sauce. Stir to mix well, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Make 4 wells in the tomato mixture and break an egg into each well. Cover the pan and cook gently over a medium-low heat for 5–6 minutes, or until the egg white is set and the yolk is still a little runny.

Serve sprinkled with coriander leaves and chopped green onion, plus plenty of crusty bread on the side to mop up any juices.

Green Soup (Hara Shorva)

This is from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. She says it is India's version of cream of pea soup. But It is both more highly spiced and more delicious than a traditional pea soup. The spices lift this soup to a whole new level. With a salad and maybe a roll it is a delicious meatless meal.


Green Soup

1 medium potato, peeled and roughly diced
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 cups chicken stock
3/4 inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 fresh hot green chili
10 ounces shelled green peas, fresh or frozen
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds (we usually skip this step)
2/3 cup heavy cream

Combine the potato, onion, chicken stock, ginger, ground coriander and ground cumin in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes.

Fish out the cube of ginger and discard it. Add the cilantro, green chili, peas, salt, lemon juice and ground roasted cumin seeds. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until the peas are just tender.

Empty the soup into the container of an electric blender in 2-3 batches and blend until it is smooth. Put the soup into a clean pot. Add the cream and bring to a simmer to heat through. Serves 5-6.

Leek And Potato Soup

This is from James Beard's American Cookery which is one of my favorite cookbooks. This is a recipe that everyone should have because it makes a simple, delicious soup which is still hearty enough to be a main meal with a salad and perhaps a roll on the side.

The nutmeg and cayenne add a flavor signature which is not common but which I find addictive. (This also makes a good breakfast if your taste runs to the untraditional as mine does.) I have tinkered with it, of course, and my variations are listed below the main recipe. The other variations are James Beard's.

Leek And Potato Soup

5 leeks
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups potatoes, diced
1 quart chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

Wash the leeks, split them lengthwise, and cut into thin slices after removing all sand. Saute in 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet for about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and the broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt, cayenne and nutmeg. Strain out the vegetables and puree in food processor. Return to the broth. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir in the flour. Add 1-1/2 cups of the broth and blend well until the mixture thickens. Return to the kettle and stir until soup comes to a boil.

My variation:

• Use a small onion instead of leeks
• Use 4 cups potatoes and do not thicken with roux.
• Use 1/8 t. cayenne

Vichyssoise variation:

• Prepare soup as above and allow it to cool. Add 1-1/2 cups heavy cream and blend well. Chill in refrigerator. Serve chilled.
• Or chill the soup without the heavy cream. Serve in chilled cups with a large spoonful of sour cream and chopped chives.

Still another variation:
Do not put the vegetables through a food mill but serve pieces of leek and diced potatoes in the thickened soup.

Chard Soup with Cumin, Cilantro, and Lime

This is from Deborah Madison's Vegetable Literacy. Smaller, tender chard leaves are best (says Madison), but I used giant ones and it was still delicious. Don't worry about chopping too precisely during prep, because this is all going into a blender when it's done.

8 cups packed trimmed chard leaves (about 1 pound or 20 leaves)
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 small potato (about 4 ounces), scrubbed and sliced
1 carrot, scrubbed and sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Finely cut cilantro stems and leaves to make 1 cup
Sea salt
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
Freshly ground pepper
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

Rinse the chard, chop it coarsely, and set aside in a colander to drain.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, potato, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, smashing it into the vegetables, and then add the cumin, coriander, cilantro, and chard leaves. Sprinkle over 1.5 teaspoons salt, cover the pan, and allow the leaves to cook down substantially before adding 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover partially, until the potato has softened.

Cool slightly, then add the sour cream and puree in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot over gentle heat. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and stir in the lime zest and juice. Ladle into bowls and serve.

With Texture: Add cooked rice, crisped coarse bread crumbs, or skinny tortilla strips to each serving.
With Other Greens: In spring and early summer, include other greens, such as tender sorrel leaves, wild nettles, lovage leaves, lamb's-quarters, and so on.

Crab Mac and Cheese

One of the most consistently good cookbooks I've ever gotten was from Julie when I got married. It's Nigel Slater's Eat. All of the recipes are simple, not too many ingredients, and written in paragraph form, which I found off-putting at first but quickly learned to love. So here is one of the first things I ever made out of it: crab mac and cheese.

Crab Mac and Cheese

8 oz medium-sized pasta (penne, serpentelli, macaroni)
10 oz lump crab meat
1+2/3 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Boil pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for about 9 minutes, til tender. Drain and return to the saucepan, then add milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and whole-grain mustard and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, stir in crab meat, and simmer gently, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.

Check the seasoning, then transfer to a deep baking dish. Mix the bread crumbs with the Parmesan, scatter on top, and bake for 20 minutes, til bubbling around edges.

And I recommend everyone get Eat, because it really is great for fast, easy meals!