Dayrecipe Food Community

This lovely first course has the texture of risotto without the constant stirring. What to drink: Arneis or Soave.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 4quarts water
• 2cups arborio rice or medium-grain rice (12 to 13 ounces)
• 1cup chopped onion1/2cup chopped fresh parsley
• 6tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
• 1/4cup chopped fresh basil
• 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (about3 ounces)
• fresh basil sprigs

DIRECTIONS Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add rice and onion. Boil until rice is just tender, about 16 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Mix parsley, butter, basil, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl. Add hot rice mixture; stir to melt butter. Add reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid and 1 cup cheese; stir. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• vegetable stew
• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 1cup chopped onion
• 2garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 12ounces 1/2-inch cubes zucchini
• 128-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 115 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
• 12kalamata olives, pitted, chopped
  potato pancakes
• 2pounds russet potatoes, peeled, coarsely grated, squeezed dry in towel
• 1/3cup grated onion
• 2tablespoons all purpose flour
• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 4teaspoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS For vegetable stew:
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add next 4 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add zucchini and tomatoes with juices; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add garbanzos and olives; simmer 3 minutes.

For potato pancakes:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix first 3 ingredients in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; add 1 teaspoon oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add potato mixture by 1/3 cupfuls, spreading each to 3-inch round. Cook until pancakes are brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven.

Place 3 pancakes on each of 4 plates. Spoon stew over and serve.

These buns make amazing beef or chicken sandwiches. Lots of great flavor that will compliment almost any filling (you might not want to make a peanut butter and jelly with it). Forge ahead with egg salad, ham, tuna or whatever pleases you at the moment. Oh yes, they make outstanding burgers too.

MAKES: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard with whole seeds in it
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place ingredients, as given,into the pan of your bread machine.
2. Select the “Dough” cycle.
3. When the cycle is complete remove the dough to a lightly floured board or counter top.
4. Turn your oven on to warm for just about 3 mins and turn it off again.
5. Shape into an even round ball and flatten about half way.
6. With a sharp knife cut the flattened ball into eight equal pieces, make each piece into a small ball and flatten into a disk shape of about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Place the dough disk’s on a a standard baking sheet that is lined with either parchment paper or a silicone mat.
8. Put the sheet in the warm over and close the door, set the timer for 25 mins for rising time.
9. The buns should be ready to bake now so just leave them where they are and set the temp to 350 F, turn the oven on again.
10. Bake for 20-30 mins. They should be nicely colored and sound hollow when lightly tapped.
11. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.at

An elegant main course from Xaviar’s restaurant in Garrison. Ask the butcher to bone the lamb for you.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1large bunch parsley, stems trimmed
• 8tablespoons olive oil
• 6tablespoons ice water
• 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice22-pound racks of lamb, boned, trimmed
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground cumin7ounces smoked andouille sausage orhot links, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2cups chicken stock or canned
• low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2teaspoon curry powder
• 1cup couscous
• 3tablespoons chopped fresh mint

DIRECTIONS Blanch parsley in large pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water and cool. Drain well. Place parsley, 6 tablespoons oil and 6 tablespoons ice water in blender; purée until well blended. Strain into small bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Mix in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Parsley jus can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle lamb with cumin, salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add lamb; cook until brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven; cook lamb to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to cutting board. Tent with foil to keep warm. Let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté sausage in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until brown, about 4 minutes. Bring stock and curry powder to boil in medium saucepan. Mix in couscous. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Add sausage and mint; toss to blend. Season couscous to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice lamb. Spoon couscous onto plates. Surround with sliced lamb. Spoon parsley jus around lamb and serve.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4cup hickory nut halves or coarsely chopped pecans (3 oz)
• 1/2stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 1tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1teaspoon salt
• 2lb brussels sprouts, any discolored leaves discarded and stem ends left intact
• 1/4teaspoon black pepper
• 1tablespoon cider vinegarspecial equipment:a japanese benriner or other adjustable-blade slicer

DIRECTIONS Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast nuts in a small shallow baking pan until fragrant and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. While nuts toast, melt 1 tablespoon butter and stir together with syrup and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add maple glaze to hot nuts and toss to coat.

Holding each Brussels sprout by stem end, cut into very thin slices with slicer. Toss slices in a bowl to separate layers.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 12- to 13-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shredded sprouts with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring, until sprouts are wilted but crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vinegar and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add hickory nuts and any glaze in baking pan and sauté, stirring, 1 minute.

Cooks’ notes:
• Nuts can be glazed 1 day ahead and cooled, then kept, covered, at room temperature.
• Brussels sprouts can be sliced 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with paper towels.