Fire Roasted Tomatoe Basil Crab Bisque

1 can (14.5 oz) organic fire roasted crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely sliced green onions (white part only)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 lb fresh lump crabmeat or
2 packages (6 oz each) pasteurized refrigerated lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

 In 2-quart saucepan, combine tomatoes, broth, celery and onions. Cook over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until celery is softened.
2 In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Using wire whisk, stir flour into butter. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add half-and-half, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time.
3 Stir in wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; stir in crabmeat and basil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Gingerbread Caramels

1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup light corn syrup 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 piece (2 inch) gingerroot, peeled
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 water 10 gingersnap cookies, crumbled (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

 Line bottom and sides of 11x7-inch pan with foil, leaving foil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan; spray foil with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, butter, corn syrup, salt and gingerroot over medium heat to simmering, stirring often. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
2 In 3-quart saucepan, cook sugar and water over medium heat until melted and amber in color. Remove from heat. Discard gingerroot from warm cream mixture. Slowly add cream mixture to melted sugar, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve any hardened sugar. Boil uncovered about 36 minutes to 246°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed.
3 Remove from heat; stir in crushed cookies. Immediately pour mixture into pan; sprinkle with crystallized ginger, pressing down slightly. Cool completely overnight. Use foil to lift out of pan. Cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Wrap caramels individually in waxed paper. Store up to 1 week.

Salted Caramel Candies

3/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt
4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 Line 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil;spray foil with cooking spray.

2 In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, vanilla, kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until mixture just begins to simmer. Remove from heat; cover with lid. Set aside.

3 In 2-quart heavy saucepan, mix sugar and corn syrup; add candy thermometer. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until sugar is dissolved. If granules of sugar become stuck to sides of saucepan, use wet pastry brush to brush granules down towards syrup. Cook syrup, without stirring, until thermometer reads 310°F. If hot spots or darker areas occur while cooking, gently roll saucepan around to evenly disperse syrup.

4 Remove saucepan from heat. Slowly pour cream mixture into syrup. Syrup will bubble violently so be careful to add cream slowly to ensure syrup does not bubble over edge of saucepan. Stir until smooth.

5 Return saucepan to medium heat. Cook caramel until thermometer reads 260°F.

6 Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until caramel is smooth.

7 Pour caramel into loaf pan. Cool 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle coarse sea salt evenly over top. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack.

8 When caramel is cool, remove from pan by lifting foil. Peel foil from caramel. Using sharp long knife, cut into 35 to 40 squares. Wrap each caramel individually with waxed paper or cellophane.

Almond Roca

1 1/2 cups chopped toasted almonds, divided
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
4 bars of chocolate (such as Hershey's Bars)

1. Butter a 7x11-inch pan (or 9x12 for slightly thinner roca). Sprinkle 1 cup of toasted almonds on bottom of the pan.

2. In heavy saucepan at medium-high heat melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir until gently boiling. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and boil 12 minutes exactly, stirring constantly.

3. Remove the mixture from heat, give it a good stir to mix up that butter and sugar one more time, and immediately pour hot mixture into pan over almonds. (see *Tips below) Place chocolate bars on top. Let them sit a minute or so until melted, then spread chocolate around carefully. Sprinkle with remaining toasted almonds and gently press them into the chocolate..

4. Cool completely, and then break apart into chunks with a sharp knife. Store in a covered container.

Chocolate Baklava

BAKLAVA:
One (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 1/4 cups butter (no substitutes), melted
1 pound finely chopped walnuts
1 (12 ounce) package miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

SYRUP:
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

2. Layer eight sheets of phyllo dough (one at a time) in pan, brushing each with butter before adding the next sheet. In a bowl, combine nuts, chocolate chips, sugar, cinnamon and lemon peel. Sprinkle 2 cups over top layer of phyllo.

3. Add four more sheets of phyllo dough (one at a time), brushing each with butter before adding the next. Top with 2 more cups nut mixture. Layer and brush four more sheets of dough with butter; top with remaining nut mixture. Top with the remaining dough, brushing each sheet with butter. Drizzle any remaining butter over top.

4. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava into 1-1/2-in. diamonds. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. While baklava is baking, combine the syrup ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Pour over warm baklava. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before you remove the pieces of baklava from the pan.

Mongolian Beef

Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
1/2 lb beef tenderloin, thinly sliced against the grain
1 TB corn starch (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ginger, grated
2 1/2 – 3 TB low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 TB sugar
1 tsp Mirin
2 TB water*
3 green onion, cut into 2-inch pieces (green parts only)
1-2 TB canola oil for the pan

1. Stir together soy sauce, sugar, water, and Chinese Mirin. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Make sure the oil completely coats the bottom of the pan. Dredge the beef in corn starch (if using). Shake off any excess starch. Add the beef and quickly sauté until lightly browned.
3. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the sauce from step 1. The sauce should quickly come to a boil. Lower the heat a bit and allow it to bubble. Keep stirring. Reduce until it becomes thicker and glazes the beef. It should happen very quickly, within minutes.
4. Throw in the green onions at the last minute. Mix. Turn off the heat immediately. Serve with steamed rice.

*Cook’s Note: The corn starch helps to brown the beef and thicken the sauce once the sauce is added to the pan. But I’ve made this plenty of times without it; the sauce thickens as it reduces, albeit not as thick. It tastes delicious regardless. And make sure to shake off excess corn starch. It’s not a batter, you just want to lightly coat or dust the beef. If you are not using starch, you do not need to add water to the sauce.

Linguini with Creamy Corn

6 ears corn on the cob, husked

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 pound pancetta or lean, center-cut bacon, finely chopped

1/2 small sweet red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1 small sweet onion, very finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup shelled fava beans or navy beans
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound linguini pasta
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, optional

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, for topping

 

 

Into a large bowl, scrape corn off the cobs as well as the cobs themselves for their sweet, starchy juices.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

Add EVOO to the hot skillet and add pancetta or bacon. Cook to render fat and crisp, 3-4 minutes. Add corn and juices, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and cook corn 3-4 minutes. Add peppers, onions and garlic; stir 5 minutes more. Add fava or navy beans and deglaze pan with stock. Stir in butter and reduce heat to low.

Salt boiling water and cook pasta to al dente. Add 1 cup starchy cooking water to the creamy corn succotash. Drain pasta, toss with corn and parsley, top with cheese