Dayrecipe Food Community

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 4 hr

Makes about 10 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (3 1/2-to 4 1/2-lb) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 carrots, quartered
• 2 medium onions, left unpeeled, trimmed, and halved
• 6 fresh parsley stems (without leaves)
  1 turkish or 1/2 california bay leaf
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 4 qt cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS Bring all ingredients to a boil in an 8- to 10-quart pot and skim froth. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, 3 hours.

Remove chicken, then pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard solids. If using stock right away, skim off and discard any fat. If not, cook stock completely, then chill, covered, and discard any solidified fat.

Cooks’ note:
Stock can be chilled 3 days or frozen 1 month.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Makes 4 generous servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4lb dried angel-hair pasta (capelli d’angelo)
• 1 1/2lb bay scallops or quartered sea scallops, tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
• 3/4stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
• 2tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, or to taste

DIRECTIONS Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.

While pasta is cooking, pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of scallops, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Cook remaining scallops in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in same manner. Return first batch of scallops to skillet and stir in lime juice and tarragon.

Toss pasta in a bowl with half of scallops and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Top pasta with remaining scallops and sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 3large eggs
• 2/3cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2cup extra-light olive oil
• 1/3cup whole milk
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2cups plus 1 tablespoon self-rising flour
• 2large pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/3cups dried tart or bing cherries17-ounce tube almond paste
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line pan bottom with parchment paper; spray parchment. Using electric mixer, beat 2 eggs, 2/3 cup sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups flour; beat just until combined. Stir in pears and cherries. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top.

Crumble almond paste into medium bowl; add cinnamon, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon flour. Using electric mixer, beat mixture just until blended. Spoon atop cake batter. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with small moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Run knife around pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Peel off paper. Transfer cake to plate; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Cover; let stand at room temperature.)

Yukon Gold potatoes cut into one-inch pieces can be substituted.

Makes 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 4pounds 1-inch-diameter dutch yellow potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1cup purchased pesto
• 1/4cup chopped green onions
• 4tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook 4 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer vegetables to large bowl and cool 10 minutes. Mix in pesto and green onions, tossing to coat. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.) Just before serving, mix in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Piping the filling into the potato shells with a pastry bag makes an attractive presentation. You can also just spoon in the filling and crosshatch the top with the tines of a fork.

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2teaspoons vegetable oil
• 86-ounce russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 5 1/2ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as montrachet), crumbled
• 3/4cup half and half
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3tablespoons chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. Rub oil over potatoes. Pierce in several spots with fork. Place directly on oven rack; bake until very tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, grasp 1 potato in hand. Using serrated knife, cut off top 1/4 of potato. Using spoon, scoop out potato, leaving 1/2-inch-thick shell; transfer potato flesh to large bowl. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Mash potatoes until smooth. Mix in cheese, then half and half, butter, and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon about 3/4 of potato mixture into shells, dividing evenly. Transfer remaining potato filling to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe filling atop potatoes. Place potatoes on baking sheet. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake potatoes until filling is heated through and tops brown, about 20 minutes.