Day Recipe Food Community

May 23, 2009

Asparagus Flan with Cheese Sauce Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 6:41 pm

Sformato D’Asparagi con Fonduta

This savory flan has an intense asparagus flavor. Its texture is unusually tender for a flan, without a trace of egginess.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Makes 8 first-course servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • for flan
  • 2lb asparagus, trimmed
  • 4large eggs
  • 1 1/3cups whole milk
  • 2tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
  • 1 1/4teaspoons salt
  • 1/2teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to tastefor sauce
  • 1/4lb italian fontina, rind discarded and cheese coarsely grated (or cut into 1/4-inch dice if too soft to grate)
  • 1/2cup whole milk
  • 2large eggs yolks
  • 1tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS Make flan:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of wax paper, then butter paper. 3Steam asparagus in a steamer set over boiling water, covered, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Purée asparagus in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (You will have about 2 cups purée.)

Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl, then whisk in asparagus purée.

Pour asparagus mixture into pan and bake in a hot water bath until flan is set and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Transfer pan to a rack to cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Make sauce while flan cools:
Put all sauce ingredients in a metal bowl, then set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat sauce, whisking until cheese and butter are melted, and then stirring with a wooden spoon, until sauce is slightly thickened and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove bowl from pan.

Run a thin knife around edge of flan to loosen, then invert a serving plate over pan and invert flan onto plate. Remove pan and discard paper. Cut flan into wedges and serve immediately with sauce.

  • Share/Bookmark

Calvados-Laced Squash Soup with Cinnamon and Bay Leaves Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , , — Anna @ 3:44 pm

Dollops of cinnamon-flavored sour cream top this luscious soup.

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6pounds butternut squash (about 2 very large), halved lengthwise
  • 4tablespoons olive oil2tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2onions, chopped
  • 2cinnamon sticks, broken in half
  • 2bay leaves, broken in half
  • 1teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2cup calvados (apple brandy) or brandy
  • 414-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
  • 112-ounce can evaporated milk1/4cup sour cream
  • 1tablespoon warm water
  • 1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil. Brush squash flesh with 2 tablespoons oil. Place on prepared baking sheets, cut side down. Roast squash until very tender, about 1 hour. Cool 20 minutes. Remove seeds. Scoop out 6 cups squash pulp and transfer to large bowl (reserve any remaining squash for another use).

Melt butter with remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Sauté until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add Calvados and simmer until almost all of liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Discard cinnamon stick pieces and bay leaves. Add mixture to squash in large bowl and stir to combine. Working in batches, puree squash mixture in blender with chicken broth and evaporated milk until smooth. Strain into same pot, pressing on solids in strainer to extract as much liquid as possible.

Mix sour cream, 1 tablespoon warm water, and ground cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. (Soup and cinnamon cream can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool soup slightly, then cover and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate cinnamon cream.)

Bring soup to simmer. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each with dollop of cinnamon cream and serve.

  • Share/Bookmark

Orzo and Herbed Sugar Snap Peas Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 12:26 pm

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 10cups water
  • 2cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
  • 1 1/2teaspoons salt
  • 1/2lb sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3scallions, chopped
  • 2tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1 1/3cups orzo (1/2 lb)
  • 1/4teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS Bring water, broth, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil and blanch sugar snaps 1 minute. Transfer sugar snaps with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking, reserving broth, then drain sugar snaps in a colander. Put sugar snaps, scallions, and dill in a bowl.

Return broth to a boil and cook orzo, stirring occasionally, until tender. Reserve 1/2 cup broth, then drain orzo in a sieve. Add hot orzo to sugar snap mixture along with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss, adding some of reserved broth if pasta seems dry.

  • Share/Bookmark

Syrupy Cake Squares

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 11:08 am
My husband has a severely sweet tooth. On special ocassions, I spoil him by making these cake squares. You only need to have one to get a ridiculous sugar rush, so be warned!

basboussa-0509-full-pic

basbousa-0509-close-up-2

Makes 16 Cake Squares.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cake:
  • 1 1/2 cups of coarse semolina
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 cup sunflower oil
  • 1 lemon, zest of (finely grated)
  • 1 cup natural yogurt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Syrup:
  • 3 cups white granulated sugar
  • 3 cups water
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tbsp orange flower water

DECORATIONS:

  • 16 whole blanched almonds

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a pan, place the sugar & water from the ‘Syrup Ingredients’, bring to the boil then simmer until you have a pale golden colour – this will take approx 35-40 mins. Remove from the heat & stir in the lemon juice & the orange flower water. You should be left with about 600mls of syrup. Set this aside to cool, you can also store the syrup in the fridge until you need to use it but make sure it’s at room temp before you use it.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C Grease a large baking dish (approx. 11″ x7″).
  3. Place all the wet ingredients in a large bowl & using a hand mixer, mix until creamy. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix well.
  4. Pour into your baking dish & level off the surface with the back of a dessert spoon or palett knife. With a small knife, score the surface into 16 equal squares and place a blanched almond in the centre of each square with the tapered end pointing up.
  5. Bake in the oven until golden – this will take approximately 30-40 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven & cut through the scored squares. Pour the syrup over the top, place cake back into the turned off oven & allow the cake to soak up the syrup. This will take about an hour but it’s  best to serve this syrup cake at least 3 hours after you’ve made it.

TIPS:

1.  Add a stronger lemon flavour to this cake by omitting the orange flower water & adding extra lemon juice to the syrup & a little extra zest to the batter.

2.  Swap the orange flower water for rose water for a change.

  • Share/Bookmark

Apple-raspberry Cake Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 10:57 am

You can substitute pears for the apples.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 7tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2small golden delicious apples (about 12 ounces), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
  • 1cup fresh raspberries3large eggs
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2teaspoon salt
  • 1/4teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Sauté until tender and juices cook away, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. Mix raspberries into apples.

Using electric mixer, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in remaining 1 cup sugar, then eggs 1 at a time. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger over; beat in. Spread 13/4 cups batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with fruit. Drop remaining batter evenly over by teaspoonfuls, spacing apart (batter will spread to cover during baking).

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Place cake in pan on rack and cool completely.

  • Share/Bookmark

Orange Blueberry Nut Loaf

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — @ 10:10 am

orange-blueberry-nut-loaf1

orange-blueberry-nut-loaf2

This is a not too sweet loaf/cake that is always welcome in my house. It’s made with pancake mix, how simple is that! The light orange flavor really compliments the blueberries and it’s the texture contrast that you get from the squishing berries and crunch of the walnuts is marvelous. This is a great breakfast loaf served while still warm from the oven or enjoy a slice with your afternoon coffee. It will very easily double to make two loaves, same amount of time spent to have an extra to freeze or give away.

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup Splenda or sugar
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 1/2 cups pancake mix (complete)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup walnut’s (finely chopped)
  • 1 egg or 1/4 cup egg white
  • 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen will work fine)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to Bake in 350° F
  2. Mix the pancake mix, baking soda and nutmeg together in a bowl.
  3. Chop the walnuts and stir into the dry mix.
  4. Mix the orange juice and egg making sure that the egg is well incorporated with the juice then add the extract.
  5. Add the orange, egg mix to the dry ingredients and stir it in until the dry ingredients are well moistened.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Share/Bookmark

Wine-Braised Ham with Shallots and Carrots Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 10:08 am

This recipe makes the Easter favorite new again with a creamy Dijon-white wine sauce.

Serve with: Bandol Rosé • haricots verts with sea salt • mashed potatoes with fresh tarragon • pound cake with rhubarb compote

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 1/2tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • 1tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1pound baby carrots with 1/2 inch of tops still attached, peeled
  • 1pound shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise (about 22)
  • 2cups dry white wine, divided
  • 3cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
  • 1fully cooked butt-end ham (about 7 1/2 pounds)
  • 6large fresh italian parsley sprigs
  • 6large fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3bay leaves1/4cup apricot jam
  • 4teaspoons dijon mustard, divided
  • 3tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3/4cup heavy cream
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

DIRECTIONS Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with vegetable oil in heavy large roasting pan set over 2 burners over medium heat. Add carrots and shallots. Sauté until vegetables begin to brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup white wine and 1 cup chicken broth. Increase heat to high and boil 3 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of pan; place ham in center. Add parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to pan. Tent pan with aluminum foil, sealing edges (do not allow foil to touch ham).

Roast ham until thermometer inserted into center (do not touch bone) registers 140°F, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices, about 2 hours. Remove ham; increase oven temperature to 450°F.

Whisk apricot jam and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in small bowl. Brush over ham. Return ham to oven and roast, uncovered, until glaze turns dark brown, about 15 minutes.

Transfer ham to cutting board. Discard parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves from pan. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to bowl. Tent ham and vegetables loosely with foil.

Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste. Place roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add heavy cream, chopped thyme, and remaining 1 cup white wine, 2 cups chicken broth, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard. Bring to simmer. Add flour-butter mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking to incorporate. Simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice ham and arrange on platter. Arrange vegetables around ham. Drizzle some sauce over ham and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

  • Share/Bookmark

Orange Roughy with Tomato-Cilantro Salsa Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 5:56 am

“Whenever I visit my family in the Chicago area, my sister and I make a point of having lunch at Fresh Starts Restaurant in Flossmoor,” says Carol De Biase-Ruffe of Arvada, Colorado. “They serve delicious, healthful food — and we’re never disappointed. The last time we went there, I ordered a fish entrée topped with tomato salsa.”

The restaurant uses tilapia for this dish; we substituted the easier-to-find orange roughy.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • for salsa
  • 8plum tomatoes, seeded, diced (about 2 2/3 cups)
  • 1red onion, diced (about1 cup) 1bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4cup fresh lime juice
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 2teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies*
  • 1/2teaspoon ground cuminfor fish
  • 3tablespoons olive oil
  • 66-ounce orange roughy fillets (each about 3/4 inch thick)
  • 1/2cup all purpose flour1pound haricots verts or other slender green beans, trimmed
  • fresh lemon juice
  • additional olive oil

DIRECTIONS For salsa: Toss all ingredients in large bowl to combine. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.)


For fish: Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Place flour in shallow baking dish. Coat fish with flour. Working in batches, sauté fish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using spatula, transfer fish to baking sheet. Bake fish until opaque in center, about 5 minutes.


Meanwhile, cook haricots verts in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer to ice water to cool; drain. Season to taste with lemon juice and olive oil.
Divide haricots verts equally among plates. Top with fish fillet and salsa.


*Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

  • Share/Bookmark

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , — Anna @ 1:34 am

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Makes 16 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4lb sweet potatoes (8; preferably long)
  • 1/4cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2cup olive oil
  • 1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS Cover potatoes with cold salted waterin a large pot, then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant in center when pierced with a sharp small knife, 25 to 30 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes with a sharp small knife and quarter lengthwise.

Prepare grill for cooking.

Whisk together lime juice, salt, and pepper and add oil in a slow stream, whisking. Whisk in cilantro.

When fire is hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds), grill potatoes in 2 or 3 batches on lightly oiled grill rack (over coals if using a charcoal grill), uncovered, turning, until grill marks appear and potatoes are just tender, 3 to 6 minutes total.

Serve potatoes warm or at room temperature, drizzled with vinaigrette.

Cooks’ notes:
• Potatoes can be boiled and peeled 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Vinaigrette can be made 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
• If you aren’t able to grill, potatoes can be cooked in a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat, turning, until grill marks appear, 3 to 6 minutes total.

  • Share/Bookmark

Sauteed Radishes Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 1:25 am

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4bunches radishes with greens attached (2 lb)
  • 2 1/2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1teaspoon salt(preferably sea salt)
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • 3tablespoons chopped
    fresh chives

DIRECTIONS Cut greens from radishes and coarsely chop. Trim radishes and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté radish wedges with salt,stirring, until crisp-tender, about12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered.

Sauté garlic in remaining tablespoon butter in skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about30 seconds. Add greens and sauté, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute.

Return radish wedges to skillet and stir in chives.

  • Share/Bookmark
Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress