Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Makes about 36 cookies.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl cream together the shortening, the peanut butter, and the brown sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the egg, and stir in the flour, the baking soda, and the salt. Form tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls, transfer the balls as they are formed to baking sheets, and with the tines of a fork flatten them, making a crosshatch pattern. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden, transfer them to racks, and let them cool completely.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 large pear
6 whole dried apricots, chopped
1/2 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS
In a heavy saucepan combine the sugar, the rum, and 1/2 cup water and simmer the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the pear, peeled, halved, and cored, and the apricots and poach the fruit, covered, spooning the syrup over the pear occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pear is tender. In a small heavy saucepan combine the chocolate, 2 tablespoons water, and the vanilla and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is smooth. Transfer the pear halves to a work surface, cut them diagonally, into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and fan them onto 2 plates. Sprinkle the apricots over the pear slices and spoon the chocolate sauce around the fruit.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
an 8-ounce bottle of clam juice
2 fresh or canned plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 pound lump crab meat, picked over
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion green
cooked rice as an accompaniment
DIRECTIONS
In a large heavy saucepan combine the oil and the flour and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a metal spatula, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it is a deep caramel color. Add the onion and the bell pepper and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the clam juice, the tomatoes, and 1 cup water, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is reduced and thickened. Stir in the crab meat and salt and pepper to taste, simmer the stew for 5 minutes, and stir in the scallion green. Serve the stew over the rice.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
for the biscuits
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 cup milk
3/4 pound 1/4-inch-thick slices of calf’s liver, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
3/4 cup apple cider
DIRECTIONS
Make the biscuits:
In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the milk and stir the mixture until it is just combined. Knead the dough gently on a floured surface for 30 seconds, pat or roll it out 1/4 inch thick, and with a floured 3-inch cutter cut out 4 rounds. Bake the biscuits on a buttered baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden.
While the biscuits are baking, in a bowl toss the liver with the flour and salt and pepper to taste. In a large heavy skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, in it brown the liver, and transfer the liver to another bowl. Add to the skillet the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onion and cook the onion over moderate heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up the brown bits, until it is golden. Add the cider, 1/4 cup water, and the liver with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the liver is cooked through, and season it with salt and pepper.
Split the biscuits and spoon the liver and onion mixture over them.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
a 4-ounce jar pimiento, drained
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, washed well
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
two 3/4-inch-thick cod or scrod steaks
DIRECTIONS
In a blender purée the pimiento with the cayenne, season the purée with salt, and reserve it in a bowl. In a saucepan cook the spinach with the water clinging to its leaves over moderate heat, covered, until it is wilted, transfer it to the blender, cleaned, or a food processor, and purée it with 2 tablespoons water. In the pan heat the spinach purée with the butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and keep the purée warm, covered.
In a heavy saucepan large enough to hold the cod in one layer combine the cod with enough salted cold water to cover it by 1 inch, bring the water to a simmer, and in it poach the cod, covered, at a bare simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, or until it is just flakes. Divide the spinach purée between 2 plates, spoon dollops of the pimiento purée onto the spinach purée, and swirl them decoratively into the spinach purée. Transfer the cod with a slotted spatula onto the purées.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pound smoked kielbasa (polish sausage), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 onion, sliced thin
3/4 pound yellow-fleshed or russet (baking) potatoes
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
DIRECTIONS
In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the kielbasa. Add the cabbage and the onion and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is browned. Add 1 1/2 cups water and simmer the mixture, covered partially, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.
While the mixture is simmering, in a steamer set over boiling water steam the potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces, covered, for 12 minutes, or until they are very tender, transfer them to a bowl, and mash them with a potato masher. Add the milk, scalded, 3 tablespoons hot water, the butter, and salt and pepper to taste and stir the potato mixture until the butter is melted. Serve the kielbasa mixture on the mashed potatoes.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
a pinch of ground cloves
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan combine the garlic and the butter, heat the mixture over moderately low heat until the butter is melted, and let it stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a large bowl, pressing on the garlic, add the chicken wings to the bowl, and toss them to coat them well. Broil the wings on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated boiler about 4 inches from the heat, turning them, for 20 minutes, or until they are golden. In a large bowl stir together the cinnamon, the cardamom, the cloves, and salt and pepper to taste, add the wings, and toss them with the mixture until they are coated well. Return the wings to the broiler rack and broil them, turning them, for 1 minute.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Makes use of the microwave oven.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
4 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
DIRECTIONS
In a 9-inch microwave-safe baking dish stir together the carrots, the soy sauce, the lemon juice, the sugar, and 1/4 cup water and microwave the mixture at high power (100%) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the carrots are just tender. Add the butter and pepper to taste and toss the mixture until the butter is melted.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound turnips, peeled and grated
1 onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan
1/3 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl toss the turnips and the onion with the cornstarch, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and transfer the mixture to a buttered 9-inch-square baking dish, patting it down. Drizzle the cream evenly over the mixture, sprinkle the mixture with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and bake the gratin in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden.
