Dayrecipe Food Community

Panforte — a cross between a cake and a candy — is a classic Italian Christmas treat. It’s a very dense, rich confection loaded with nuts, dried fruit, and spices (hence its name, which means “strong bread”). This recipe yields much more than you’ll need for the party, but it keeps so well that you’ll have delicious leftovers long after the holiday season.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 4 hr (includes cooling)

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake.

INGREDIENTS

• 4teaspoons unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder plus additional for dusting
• 2/3cup all-purpose flour
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4teaspoon salt1cup whole almonds, toasted
• 1cup whole hazelnuts, toasted and loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel
• 1cup soft pitted prunes (dried plums; 8 oz), quartered
• 1cup soft dried figs (preferably mission; 8 oz), each cut into 6 pieces
• 1cup soft raisins (8 oz)
• 3/4cup sugar
• 2/3cup honeyspecial equipment:a 9-inch springform pan; parchment paper; a candy thermometer

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 300°F.

Line springform pan with parchment, using a round for bottom and a strip for side. Butter paper well and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and 4 teaspoons cocoa in a large bowl, then stir in nuts and fruit.

Bring sugar and honey to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil without stirring until thermometer registers 238 to 240°F, about 2 minutes.

Immediately pour honey over fruit mixture and quickly stir until combined (mixture will be very thick and sticky). Quickly spoon mixture into springform pan, spreading evenly with back of spoon. Dampen your hands and press mixture firmly and evenly into pan to compact as much as possible. Bake in middle of oven until edges start to rise slightly and become matte, 50 to 55 minutes.

Cool panforte completely in pan on a rack, then remove side of pan and invert, peeling off paper. If making ahead, wrap panforte (see cooks’ note, below). To serve, cut with a serrated knife into small pieces.

Cooks’ note:
• The flavors of panforte deepen over time — it’s best made at least 1 week ahead and chilled in a large sealed plastic bag. It can be made 1 month ahead and chilled, wrapped in parchment and then kept in a sealed plastic bag.

Mensaf

This recipe, adapted from Kathy Sullivan and Janine El Tal, international educators and longtime residents of Jordan, is a scaled-down version of that country’s national dish, which is usually served in large quantities at important gatherings. Mensaf is eaten standing up, using the right hand to form a little ball of rice and meat. Traditionally, jameed, a ball of reconstituted sun-dried yogurt, is used to make the sauce, but it is replaced here by regular plain yogurt that has been stabilized (with egg white and cornstarch) for cooking. Buy the richest, tangiest yogurt you can find.

Active time: 55 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3lb bone-in lamb shoulder, cut by butcher into 6 large chunks
• 7cups water
• 1/2teaspoon black pepper
• 2teaspoons salt
• 1/4cup clarified butter (see cooks’ note, below)
• 1/4cup pine nuts (1 1/2 oz)
• 1large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1/2teaspoon ground allspice
• 2cardamom pods*, lightly cracked
• 1(2-inch piece) cinnamon stick
• 2cups stabilized whole-milk yogurt
• 2cups long-grain white rice
• 4(5-inch) rounds pita bread, halvedaccompaniment:3 small red onions, quartered

DIRECTIONS Combine lamb and 4 cups water in a wide 5-quart heavy pot (add more water to just cover lamb if necessary). Bring to a boil over moderate heat, skimming froth from surface. Once liquid is clear and at a full boil, add pepper and 1 teaspoon salt, then cover and simmer 30 minutes.

While meat is simmering, heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 12 minutes. Stir in turmeric, allspice, cardamom pods, and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add onion mixture to lamb and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Remove lid and briskly simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 hour more. Add yogurt, gently shaking and swirling pot to incorporate.

Simmer lamb over moderately low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally in one direction only (or yogurt may curdle), until sauce is slightly thickened and meat is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper if necessary and discard cinnamon stick.

While sauce simmers, bring remaining 3 cups water with remaining teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add rice and stir once, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 20 minutes. Slide pan off heat (do not lift) and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork.

Line a 3-quart shallow serving bowl with a single layer of pita halves (reserve remaining pita to serve alongside), then mound rice on top of bread. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce over rice to moisten and arrange meat over rice. Sprinkle with pine nuts and spoon 1/2 cup sauce over meat, then arrange reserved pita and red onions around edge of bowl. Pour remaining sauce through a sieve into a sauceboat or small bowl and serve on the side.

Cooks’ notes:
• To make 1/4 cup clarified butter, cut 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into 1-inch pieces and melt in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove pan from heat and let butter stand 3 minutes. Skim froth, then slowly pour butter into a measuring cup, leaving milky solids in bottom of pan (discard milky solids).
• Lamb with sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Reheat over low heat and assemble with pita and rice before serving.

* Available at Middle Eastern markets.

Walnut Soup (Hup Tul Woo) is a favorite snack soup, often eaten in place of dessert. The Chinese believe that walnuts resemble the shape of the brain and, thus, are good for nourishing the brain. Any foods that resemble the shape of a body organ are said to be god for that organ. Walnuts are also associated with longevity, since walnut trees live for hundreds of years. Regardless, this is a delicious soup. The oven-roasting brings out the fragrance of the walnuts, and it is rich and creamy despite the fact that there is no dairy added. I think Walnut Soup is a wonder because it tastes so good while also being good for you. Be sure to use rice flour and not glutinous rice flour.

Makes 4 servings as a tonic.

INGREDIENTS

Peeled, split fava beans for this Egyptian falafel are available in most Italian or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Ta’miyya is served with tehina.

Makes about 24 pieces.

INGREDIENTS

One of the secrets of steaming sole is to season the fish just before cooking. If the fish sits too long with the seasonings, the salt will extract water from the fish and, consequently, the fish will be less juicy. Try to choose a fish not longer than 14 inches, so that it will hang over the plate by no more than 1 1/2 inches on each end but will still fit in the steamer.

It is not necessary to purchase lemon sole for this recipe; just be sure the fish is very fresh and has the head and tail intact.

Serves 4 to 6.

INGREDIENTS