Dayrecipe Food Community

Makes 3 tablespoons (2 servings).

INGREDIENTS

If you make the components of this hors d’oeuvre ahead, stir together the filling ingredients just before serving the first batch. Keep the remaining filling chilled, covered, and spoon it into the remaining cucumber cups as platters need replenishing.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

Makes about 60 hors d’oeuvres.

INGREDIENTS

• 4seedless cucumbers (usually plastic-wrapped; 3 1/2 lb total), peeled
• 1/4cup mayonnaise
• 4teaspoons wasabi paste (japanese horseradish paste)
• 2tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3/4teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 6medium radishes
• 1(3-oz) container radish sprouts or baby pea shoots
• 1/2lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked overspecial equipment:a 1 1/2-inch fluted round cookie cutter; a melon-ball cutter (optional); a japanese benriner or other adjustable-blade slicer

DIRECTIONS Prepare cucumber cups:
Cut cucumbers crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut a fluted round from each slice with cookie cutter, then scoop out some flesh from center of each round with melon-ball cutter or a small spoon, creating an indentation but leaving bottom intact.

Prepare filling:
Whisk together mayonnaise and wasabi, then whisk in lime juice and salt.

Cut radishes into very thin slices with slicer. Halve slices, then cut crosswise into very thin strips. Trim radish sprouts to 1-inch lengths, measuring from top of sprout, and discard remaining stems. (If using pea shoots, cut sections with leaves into 1-inch pieces.)

Stir together crab, wasabi mayonnaise, radish strips, and radish sprouts, then put a small spoonful of filling into each cucumber cup.

Cooks’ notes:
• Cucumber cups can be formed (but not filled) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
• Wasabi mayonnaise can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Radishes can be cut and sprouts trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled separately in sealed plastic bags lined with dampened paper towels.
• Crabmeat can be picked over 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Makes 6 first-course or 4 main-course servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3cups low-salt chicken broth
• 113.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 3/4cup chopped green onions
• 2 1/2tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/2tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass* (from about 4 stalks)
• 1tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 4large chicken thighs with bones (about 1 1/2 pounds)16-ounce package baby spinach leaves
• 3tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro
• lime wedges
  special equipment: pressure cooker

DIRECTIONS Combine first 6 ingredients in 6- to 8-quart pressure cooker. Remove skin from chicken; add chicken to cooker. Lock lid in place. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Cook 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain high pressure. Remove from heat. Let pressure come down naturally 8 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure.

Slowly release lid, standing back and allowing steam to escape. Transfer chicken to work surface; cool briefly. Remove bones. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Return chicken to soup; add spinach. Simmer until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Add lime juice. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.

*Available at Asian markets and in the produce section of some supermarkets.

What to drink: Prinz von Hessen 2001 Riesling Kabinett Winkeler Hasensprung.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 14-bone center-cut pork rib roast, bones frenched, roast well trimmed (about 2 pounds)
• 8whole dried apricots
• 8whole pitted prunes
• 2tablespoons corn oil
• 1 1/2teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1onion, coarsely chopped
• 2large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 6garlic cloves, peeled1 1/2tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1tablespoon coarse-grained dijon mustard
• 11/2cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Using long slender knife, carve out 3/4-inch-diameter horizontal tunnel through center of pork. Chop carved-out meat and reserve. Using handle of wooden spoon, firmly pack apricots and prunes into tunnel of roast. Place roast on rack in roasting pan; rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle roast with 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, salt, and pepper. Scatter onion, carrots, garlic cloves, and chopped meat around rack in pan. Drizzle vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon marjoram. Roast pork until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (not stuffing) registers 150°F, stirring vegetables occasionally, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board; tent with foil to keep warm.

Whisk butter, flour, and both mustards in small bowl to blend. Add broth and wine to roasting pan; place on 2 burners and simmer juices over medium heat until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, scraping up browned bits, about 3 minutes. Strain liquid into small saucepan; skim fat from surface. Bring liquid to boil. Whisk in mustard mixture; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, whisking frequently, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut pork between ribs into chops. Serve with sauce.

These ultra-rich and chocolaty sandwich cookies have creamy, coffee-spiked centers.

Makes 20 sandwich cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• filling
• 1/2cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2cup whipping cream
• 1tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 3/4cup powdered sugar
• 6tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1teaspoon vanilla extractcookies
• 1cup all purpose flour
• 3tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/4cup sugar
• 1large egg
• 2teaspoons water
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 2cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 12 ounces)
• 1cup pecans, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS For filling:
Stir chocolate chips, cream, and coffee granules in heavy saucepan over medium heat until chocolate melts and coffee dissolves. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla in bowl until blended. Beat in chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until beginning to firm, about 8 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated. To use, let stand at room temperature until just soft enough to spread, about 2 hours.)

For cookies:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in bowl until well blended. Add egg, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and instant coffee; blend well. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until tops are just firm to touch and no longer shiny, about 13 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.

Place half of cookies, flat side up, on work surface. Spread each with 1 tablespoon filling, leaving 1/4-inch border. Top each with second cookie, pressing to adhere. Arrange on platter; cover and chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.) Serve cookies cold.