This moist cake is delicious served warm with cream, but can also be offered cold.
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature
4 medium gala or golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, cut into
1/3-inch pieces
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 9-inch doily
powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into large bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in apples and brown sugar. Whisk eggs and milk together; stir into apple mixture (batter will be thick). Transfer to pan. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake cake until golden and springy to touch, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly on rack. Cut around cake to loosen; remove pan sides. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Wrap tightly; store at room temperature.) Place doily atop cake. Sprinkle powdered sugar over; remove doily.
Crumbles are traditional family desserts that can be prepared with almost any fruit. This sophisticated rendition includes toasted almonds in the topping for extra crunch.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
topping
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole almonds
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup chopped toasted almonds
filling
2 pounds fresh rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1/2 cup orange juice
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
For topping:
Combine flour, 1/2 cup whole almonds and both sugars in processor. Blend mixture until almonds are finely ground. Add butter and process until moist clumps form, using on/off turns. Transfer to bowl. Mix in chopped toasted almonds. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
For filling:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine rhubarb, orange juice, 5 tablespoons sugar and orange peel in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook until rhubarb is tender but intact, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, divide warm rhubarb among six 1 1/4-cup custard cups, leaving excess juices behind. Blend 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon sugar in small bowl. Whisk into juices in saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Divide juice mixture equally among custard cups and stir into rhubarb.
Sprinkle topping over filling, dividing equally. Bake until topping is deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool crumbles on rack 15 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
This cake is light and moist-perfect for dessert or an indulgent afternoon tea. For a pretty decoration, place stencil or doily on the cake and sift powdered sugar over. Even easier, just sift powdered sugar over the entire cake.
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
cake
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
lemon curd
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons (packed) grated lemon peel
powdered sugar
whipped cream (optional)
DIRECTIONS
For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Butter parchment.
Beat butter and sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon peel. Beat in flour alternately with lemon juice in 2 additions each. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until cakes begin to pull away from sides from pan and tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 2 minutes. Turn cakes in pans on racks 2 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Peel off parchment.
For lemon curd:
Whisk eggs and sugar in top of double boiler to blend. Add lemon juice, butter and lemon peel. Set pan over simmering water (do not allow bottom of pan to touch water). Whisk until mixture thickens to pudding consistency and thermometer inserted into mixture registers 165°F., about 4 minutes. Remove from over water; cool. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; chill until cold. (Cake and lemon curd can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cake and store at room temperature. Keep lemon curd chilled.)
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread lemon curd evenly over. Top with second cake layer. Place decorative stencil or doily atop cake. Sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar. Carefully remove stencil. Serve cake with whipped cream, if desired.
This streamlined dish gets its appeal from a great flavor combination and a rustic coarse texture. It’s nice with roasted pork tenderloin or lean leg of lamb.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds white potatoes (about 4 large) peeled, cubed
3/4 pound parsnips, peeled, cubed
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup (or more) low-fat (1%) milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
Combine potatoes, parsnips and bay leaf in medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover vegetables. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well; discard bay leaf. Return vegetables to same saucepan. Add 1/2 cup milk and mash vegetables to coarse puree. Add more milk, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle with melted butter and serve.
Serve these onions with pan-browned veal rib chops or roast chicken.
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium onions, peeled, halved crosswise
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup fresh french breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Trim ends of onions to level. Place onions, flat side up, in small baking dish. Season onions with salt and pepper. Add wine to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until onions are tender, basting with wine occasionally, about 55 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, parsley and thyme and sauté until breadcrumbs are light golden brown, about 4 minutes.
Remove onions from pan. Spoon breadcrumb mixture evenly onto onions. Press breadcrumbs lightly to adhere. Continue baking onions, uncovered, until breadcrumbs are crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm onions in 350°F. oven until topping is crisp, about 15 minutes.)
Called Dublin coddle, this traditional Irish dish is a quick main course.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
3 to 3 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons chopped fresh celery
2 onions, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
1 pound breakfast sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can beef broth
DIRECTIONS
Arrange potatoes in bottom of heavy large saucepan; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Top with onions; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Top with sausage and bacon. Pour broth over. Season with pepper. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until potatoes are tender and sausage is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Uncover pan. Boil until liquids are slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley.
A simple and satisfying side dish.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound turnips, peeled
1 pound large carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in heavy medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes; drain. Transfer to processor; add butter and process to coarse puree. (Alternatively, return vegetables to same pan; add butter and mash to coarse puree.) Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and serve.
This version of colcannon, usually a combination of buttery mashed potatoes and cabbage, is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled sausages or Beef Stew with Stout.
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 small carrot, peeled, diced
1 large bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bunch kale, rinsed, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
DIRECTIONS
Combine milk, 2 tablespoons butter, carrot and bay leaf in medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat; let steep while preparing kale and potatoes.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until light brown, about 8 minutes. Add kale; cover and cook until tender, stirring often, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Return to same pot; mash with hand masher.
Add kale mixture to potatoes. Strain in enough milk to produce moist, fluffy potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Melt 5 tablespoons butter in small saucepan. Mound potatoes in large bowl. Using spoon, make well in top of potatoes. Pour butter into well. Serve hot.
It’s low-fat milk, not cream, that gives this delicious side dish its richness. Try it with poached, grilled or roasted salmon steaks.
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon butter
2 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely chopped savoy cabbage
2 cups small cauliflower florets
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled russet potato
2/3 cup low-fat (1%) milk
pinch of ground mace or ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add cabbage and cauliflower and stir until cabbage wilts, about 3 minutes. Stir in potato. Increase heat to medium. Add milk and simmer until vegetables are tender and milk is reduced to sauce consistency and coats vegetables, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with mace, salt and pepper and serve.
