Dayrecipe Food Community

In Egypt, eggplant was roasted over hot coals until the skin was charred. At home, I char the eggplant directly over the gas flame, turning frequently with tongs until the juices begin to ooze out. It can also be baked in a 425°F oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 2 cups without tehina, 3 cups with.

INGREDIENTS

Whimsical pinwheel-shaped biscuits swirled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and crystallized ginger top a layer of fresh peach filling.

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• biscuits
• 1/2cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
• 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2cups all purpose flour
• 3/4cup sugar
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/2cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3cup whipping cream
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract1tablespoon butter, meltedfilling
• 1/2cup sugar
• 1vanilla bean, coarsely chopped
• 1tablespoon all purpose flour
• 4pounds peaches, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2teaspoons fresh lemon juicepowdered sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS For biscuits:
Mix first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Set spiced sugar aside. Mix flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in chilled butter until coarse meal forms. Add cream and vanilla; stir until moist clumps form. Gently knead dough on lightly floured surface just until smooth.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 9×15-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with spiced sugar. Starting at 1 long side, roll up dough jelly-roll style. Transfer to baking sheet. Cover log with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

For filling:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend sugar, vanilla bean, and flour in processor until vanilla is finely chopped; place in large bowl. Add peaches and lemon juice; toss to coat. Transfer peach mixture to 10-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Cut dough log crosswise into 1-inch-thick biscuits. Place biscuits atop filling. Bake until biscuits are golden, about 45 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Yield: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 pounds swordfish filet
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 5 fluid ounces dry white wine
• 24 ounces tomato concasse
• 3/4 ounce anchovy fillets, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons basil chiffonade

DIRECTIONS 1. Cut the swordfish into ten 3 1/2 ounce portions. Refrigerate until needed.

2. Sweat the shallots and garlic in the wine until the shallots are translucent. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes and anchovies.

3. For each serving : Brush 1 portion of swordfish with 1/4 teaspoon of the
oil and broil until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes.

4. While the swordfish is broiling, heat 3 ounces of the tomato mixture in a
small saute pan. Remove from the heat and add about 1/2 teaspoon of the
basil. Toss to combine. Serve with the swordfish.

Any firm-fleshed fish suitable for broiling, such as halibut or tuna, may
be substituted for the swordfish.

Analysis per serving:
Calories 160; total fat (g) 6; saturated fat (g) 1.5; cholesterol (mg) 40;
sodium (mg) 170; total carbohydrate (g) 2; dietary fiber (g) 0; sugars (g) 1;
protein (g) 21.

The combination of salty, sweet, crunchy, and smooth gives these confections a special place in my heart. That, added to the fact that they made an appearance at every bridge and mahjongg game my mother ever hosted, elevates their status to serious nostalgia food. You can find cans of Chinese chow-mein noodles in the Asian food section of the supermarket. The ones you want are cooked and ready to eat like crackers.

Makes about 30 clusters.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (10 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
• 2 cups (about 4 ounces) chinese chow-mein noodles, broken into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces (vary the sizes)
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) dry-roasted salted peanuts, shaken in a sieve to remove excess salt

DIRECTIONS Line a baking sheet with wax paper, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a metal bowl set over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water, or in a microwave-safe bowl in a microwave oven. Stir the mixture until it is smooth. In a large mixing bowl, toss the noodles and peanuts together. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over them. Working quickly before the chocolate hardens, use a rubber spatula to mix and coat the noodles and nuts with chocolate.

Use 2 soup spoons (or teaspoons, depending on how large you want your clusters) to scoop up portions of the mixture. Set the clusters on the prepared sheet. Set the baking sheet in a cool place (not in the refrigerator) until the chocolate hardens.

The clusters can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

I, who struggled for years to achieve perfectly cooked, lively green beans love Aunt Enza’s overstewed green beans, soft, almost creamy, tasting of bean, cooked far beyond crunch. Although Aunt Enza cooks the green beans in an onion and garlic-flavored tomato sauce she pointed out that leftover green beans can be subjected to the same treatment. Aunt Enza has a heavy Tuscan hand with extra virgin. I’ve cut down on the oil but my husband Massimo always adds a little extra at the table.

Makes 4-6 servings.

INGREDIENTS