If you haven’t already made the low-fat buttermilk dressing for the buffalo burgers, you’ll need to allow a little extra time for this recipe.
Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min
Makes 4 side dish servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2lb yukon gold potatoes
- 1 1/2tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 3/4teaspoons salt
- 3oz sugar snap peas (1 cup), trimmed
- 1medium carrot (3 oz), quartered lengthwise (or halved if thin), then cut crosswise into 1/3-inch pieces
- 3(1-inch) radishes (3 oz total), cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
- 1celery rib, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/2cup low-fat buttermilk dressing
- 1/4cup low-fat sour cream
- 1/2cup loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs
- 3tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1/2teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cover by 1 inch with cold water in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a medium bowl and toss with vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cool potatoes to warm.
Blanch sugar snaps and carrot with 1 teaspoon salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan of boiling water 1 minute. Drain vegetables in a sieve and rinse under cold running water, then pat dry. Cut sugar snaps diagonally into 1/3-inch pieces. Add carrot, sugar snaps, radishes, and celery to potatoes in bowl.
Pulse dressing, sour cream, herbs, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until herbs are finely chopped. Add to potato mixture and stir to coat.
Californian Harry Baker invented the chiffon cake in 1927, but he kept the recipe a tightly guarded secret for another 20 years. He finally relented and sold his formula to General Mills. The mystery ingredient? Vegetable oil, which gave the cake richness and a light, moist texture. We spike this one with all the flavors of a Margarita cocktail; the Strawberry Compote with Tequila and Lime is an elegant touch.
Makes 10 TO 12 servings.
INGREDIENTS
cake
2 1/4cups cake flour
1 1/4cups sugar
1tablespoon baking powder
1teaspoon salt
6large egg yolks
1/2cup vegetable oil
1/3cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup triple sec
2tablespoons tequila
2teaspoons grated lime peel8large egg whites
1/2teaspoon cream of tartar
glaze
2cups powdered sugar
2tablespoons fresh lime juice
2tablespoons tequila
4teaspoons triple sec
1 1/2teaspoons grated lime peel
strawberry compote with tequila and lime
DIRECTIONS
For cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until smooth.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch-diameter angel food cake pan; smooth top.
Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Immediately invert center tube of pan onto narrow-necked bottle; cool cake completely in pan.
Run long knife around center tube and sides of pan to loosen cake. Using center tube as aid, lift cake out of pan; run knife between cake and pan bottom to loosen. Invert cake onto platter.
For glaze: Stir first 5 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Let stand until glaze sets, about 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.) Serve cake with compote.
Among favorite desserts of the decade were waffles, served with ice cream and syrup, as well as this easy cake’s ancestor. The treat reached its maximum popularity with the increasing availability of canned pineapple and the marketing efforts of the Dole Company. Today’s widely available fresh fruit-spiked with ginger, macadamia nuts and orange zest-gives a great result.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS
12tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4cup dried tart cherries*
2tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2medium pineapple,peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces1 3/4cups all purpose flour
1teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon baking soda
1/4teaspoon salt
3/4cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2tablespoons finely grated orange peel
3large eggs, separated
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3cup buttermilkwhipped cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides set atop burner on medium-low heat. Stir in sugar, nuts, cherries and ginger. Cook until sugar mixture bubbles, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly. Arrange pineapple pieces, overlapping slightly and in concentric circles, over sugar mixture. Set aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and orange peel in large bowl until fragrant. Beat in 6 tablespoons butter until light. Beat in yolks 1 at a time. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until firm peaks form. Fold into batter. Spoon into pan atop pineapple.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack; cool 5 minutes. Invert onto platter. Serve with whipped cream.
*Sold at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores and some supermarkets.
Even lean, mean depression-era macaroni and cheese was comforting, a tribute to the twin powers of carbohydrates and melted cheese, which are just as irresistible now as they were then. Some fans love the crunchy crust while others crave the creamy center. This lush and ultra-tangy millennium mac and cheese aims to please adherents of both schools of thought.
Makes 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS
3tablespoons butter
1garlic clove, pressed
3tablespoons all purpose flour
4cups hot whole milk
10ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
8ounces hot pepper monterey jack cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 2/3cups lightly packed grated parmesan cheese
1teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2cup whole almonds
1/4cup fine dry breadcrumbs1pound short tube-shaped pasta (such as cavatapi or macaroni)
DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour; stir 3 minutes. Whisk in hot milk. Bring to simmer, stirring. Cover partially; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheddar and Jack cheese, 1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese and hot pepper sauce. Whisk until sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Whisk over medium heat to rewarm before using.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter bottom and sides of 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Blend 1/3 cup Parmesan, almonds and breadcrumbs in processor until nuts are coarsely ground. Add 1/2 cup almond mixture to prepared dish. Tilt dish to coat bottom and sides. Return any loose almond mixture to processor.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain well. Return pasta to pot. Add sauce; stir to coat. Transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining almond mixture over.
Bake until almond mixture is golden and crunchy and sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes.
This dish is a characteristic Moroccan Jewish preparation. North Africans,
Jews and non-Jews alike, are particularly skilled at cooking fish because the
long coastline yields so much. Dried chickpeas, a staple starch in the
Mediterranean, traveled with the Jews when they emigrated.
Serves 4 to 5 as a main course, 8 as a first course.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups cooked chickpeas (see note) or 2 15-ounce cans
6 or 7 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
4 or 5 hot peppers or 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds, ground
2 pounds cod fillets, about 1 inch thick
salt
freshly ground black pepper
cilantro or parsley sprigs
lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
If canned chickpeas are used, rinse and drain them. Combine the cooked or
canned chickpeas in a saucepan with the garlic, peppers or flakes, 3
tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1/4 cup of water. Bring the liquid to a
simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove and discard the whole peppers, if you used them. Add the cumin to
the chickpeas and spread half the mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch-square
baking dish. Place the fish on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and finish
with the remaining chickpeas. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive
oil over the top. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until
the fish is just flaky but not falling apart; check after 20 minutes.
Serve the fish hot or warm, garnished with cilantro or parsley and lemon
wedges.
Note: For dried chickpeas, soak 1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups) overnight, drain,
rinse, and cook in water to cover for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending upon their
age. If you don’t have time for overnight soaking, cover the chickpeas with
cold water, bring them to boiling, turn off the heat, cover the saucepan, and
set them aside for an hour, then cook them as directed above.
A typical chili of the depression years consisted of cheap meat stretched by even cheaper beans. Chili remained modestly popular even when the hard times waned, until Lyndon Johnson boosted its national profile during the 1960s. Now chili is back and bigger than ever. Even with the modern addition of smoked jalapeños (chipotles), the inclusion of black beans and beer, and a stylish drizzle of lime crema, this recipe is a classic-hot, hearty and filling.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS
3pounds ground beef
3cups chopped onions
6garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2cup chili powder
214 1/2-ounce cans beef broth
1cup canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/2cup stout or dark beer
2tablespoons minced canned chipotle chilies2tablespoons yellow cornmeal
215 1/2-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed1 1/2cups sour cream
2tablespoons fresh lime juice
1tablespoon grated lime peelcorn tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS
Heat heavy large pot over high heat. Add beef; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add onions and garlic to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, 8 minutes. Add chili powder. Sauté until fragrant, 3 minutes. Add beef, broth, tomatoes, stout and chilies. Cover partially; simmer until chili is thick, stirring often, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Gradually stir cornmeal into chili. Stir in beans. Simmer until heated through. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat.)
Whisk sour cream, lime juice and lime peel in small bowl. Season with salt.
Spoon chili into bowls. Spoon lime crema atop chili. Serve with chips.
Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 2poblano chilies*
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 1cup chopped onion
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1english hothouse cucumber, peeled, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4cups canned low-salt chicken broth
- 2tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chilies
- 2tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2cup whipping cream
-
2 green onions, chopped
DIRECTIONS Char poblano chilies over gas flame or under broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; cool 10 minutes. Peel and seed chilies, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saut
5 minutes. Add tomatillos and cucumber; saut
until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add broth and poblano chilies; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tomatillos are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in jalape‱os, lime juice and cilantro. Cool completely. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Transfer to large bowl; stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill soup until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight. Divide soup among 6 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
*Fresh green chilies, often called pasillas; available at Latin American markets and some supermarkets.
Artichokes, an Old World food, came to America with Italian immigrants and found a happy home in the near-Mediterranean climate of California. As “ethnic” fare, artichokes took their time catching on outside the Golden State. They finally did in the thirties and became something of a fad. Artichokes were not limited to the vegetable course, either. Sometimes the center “choke” was scooped out and the hollow filled with a stuffing for a fashionable light lunch entrée.
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
6tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3/4cup finely chopped onion
2celery stalks, finely chopped
8garlic cloves, minced
3cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless sourdough bread
8ounces crabmeat4large artichokes (each about
1 pound)
DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool completely. Mix in breadcrumbs and crabmeat. Season stuffing with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut off top third of each artichoke; discard. Cut off stem. Pull out yellow and small purple-tipped leaves from center. Using melon baller, scoop out fibrous choke.
Gently pull leaves outward from center until leaves open slightly. Pack stuffing into each artichoke cavity and between first and second center layers of leaves, mounding slightly. Place artichokes in 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Add enough water to come 3/4 inch up sides of dish. Cover with foil. Bake artichokes until outer leaf pulls away easily, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The genteel ladies’ tea, at which guests wore hats and white gloves and nibbled tiny sandwiches, was very much a part of home entertaining during the thirties. Borrowed from the British, it was a trend that flickered and then died out, but has now come back in homes and hotels across the country. These modern tea sandwiches are more savory than sweet, and would go well with a glass of Sherry if you’re in need of something a little stronger than Earl Grey.
Makes 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS
25 1/2-ounce logs soft fresh goat cheese (such as montrachet), room temperature
1/2cup chopped watercress leaves
16thin slices cinnamon-raisin, date or whole wheat sandwich bread, crusts trimmed
5tablespoons (about) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4cup finely chopped toasted pecanswatercress sprigs (for garnish)
DIRECTIONS
Mix cheese and chopped watercress in medium bowl. Season with salt. Spread mixture evenly over 8 bread slices. Top with remaining bread. Butter edges of sandwiches. Cut sandwiches diagonally in half.Place pecans on plate. Dip buttered edges of sandwiches into pecans. Arrange sandwiches on platter. Garnish with watercress sprigs. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover sandwiches tightly; chill.)
