Dayrecipe Food Community

Use two 6-mold nonstick mini-Bundt-cake pans or giant-muffin tins for these.

Makes 9.

INGREDIENTS

• sauce
• 2/3cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
• 3tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger1cup sugar
• 3tablespoons water
• 1tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1tablespoon salted butter
• 2/3cup whipping cream
• 1teaspoon vanilla extractcakes
• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 1/2cups all purpose flour
• 4teaspoons ground ginger
• 2teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground allspice
• 1cup hot water
• 1tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3/4cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
• 1cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
• 2large eggs
• 2tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2teaspoons sugar

DIRECTIONS For sauce:Combine apricots and ginger in small bowl. Pour enough boiling water over just to cover; let soften 10 minutes. Drain; pat dry with paper towels.

Combine sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and corn syrup in heavy medium skillet. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in butter, apricots, and ginger. Add cream and vanilla. Stir over low heat until caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over low heat before serving.)

For cakes:Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9 mini-Bundt molds with nonstick spray; generously butter same molds. Sift flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and allspice into medium bowl. Combine 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl and stir to dissolve. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in molasses, then eggs and fresh ginger. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with espresso mixture in 2 additions. Divide among 9 prepared molds. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar.
Bake cakes until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes; turn out onto baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead; let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350°F oven 8 minutes.) Serve ginger cakes warm with warm apricot sauce.

Assemble the strudels a day ahead, and bake them up to six hours before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• filling
• 1 1/2pounds fresh figs, stemmed, each cut into 6 wedges (about 5 cups)
• 1 1/2pounds firm but ripe pears (about 3 large), peeled, cored, cut into1/2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1/2cup sugar
• 1/2cup frozen cranberry-raspberry concentrate, thawed
• 1 1/2teaspoons grated lemon peelstrudels
• 6tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
• 4tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 10frozen phyllo sheets, thawed
• 3/4cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, meltedginger cream

DIRECTIONS For filling:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously butter large baking sheet. Place figs and pear pieces in single layer on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Roast until tender and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer fruit and any juices from sheet to medium bowl. Cool. Stir in cranberry-raspberry concentrate and lemon. Chill until cold.

For strudels:
Butter another large baking sheet. Mix breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Place kitchen towel on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet atop towel with short end toward edge of work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo sheet with some melted butter; sprinkle with 1/8 of breadcrumb mixture. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with some melted butter; sprinkle with 1/8 of breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with 2 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter and sprinkling each with 1/8 of breadcrumb mixture. Top with fifth phyllo sheet; brush with some melted butter (do not sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture).

Using slotted spoon, place half of fig mixture along 1 short side of phyllo stack; spread in 3-inch-wide strip, leaving 1-inch plain border on long sides. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon over fig mixture. Fold long sides of phyllo in over filling; brush folded sides with melted butter. Starting at filled short side, roll up phyllo, enclosing filling completely. Brush all over with melted butter. Place strudel, seam side down, on baking sheet. Repeat assembly process to make second strudel. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush strudels lightly with melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Using serrated knife, cut each strudel on diagonal into 4 pieces; discard ends. Place 1 piece on each of 8 plates. Dollop Ginger Cream alongside. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 35 min

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 1/2teaspoon sugar
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 1seedless cucumber (1 1/4 lb; usually plastic-wrapped), cored and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
• 1/2lb jicama, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks (2 cups)
• 2tablespoons drained bottled pickled ginger, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS Whisk together vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Toss together cucumber, jicama, ginger, and dressing in a bowl until combined well, then let stand, covered and chilled, 15 minutes.

These Asian-inspired lamb shanks are wrapped and baked in individual foil packets, then placed atop bowls of steamed rice. Serve with stir-fried bok choy or other Chinese greens. What to drink: Asian lager beer or a fruity red Zinfandel.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 12dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 1/2cups boiling water13-inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled, thickly sliced
• 3garlic cloves, peeled
• 3/4cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 1/2tablespoons black bean garlic sauce*
• 6teaspoons peanut oil
• 1 1/2teaspoons chinese five-spice powder**
• 6large lamb shanks (about 1 pound each), excess fat trimmed3/4cup thinly sliced green onions3/4cup dry sherrysteamed white rice

DIRECTIONS Place mushrooms in bowl. Pour boiling water over; let soak until mushrooms soften, at least 45 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain mixture, reserving 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid. Cut stems from mushrooms and discard; thinly slice caps.

With food processor running, add ginger and garlic and finely chop. Add cilantro, black bean sauce, 2 teaspoons peanut oil, and five-spice powder. Process until paste forms, occasionally scraping down sides of work bowl. Using sharp knife, cut 5 small shallow slits into each lamb shank, spacing apart; rub generous 1 tablespoon black bean-cilantro paste into slits and all over surface of each shank. (Mushrooms and lamb shanks can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover mushrooms, soaking liquid and shanks separately and chill.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut six 18-inch squares of aluminum foil; place on work surface. Place green onions and sliced mushroom caps in center of each foil square, dividing equally. Heat remaining 4 teaspoons peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb shanks and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Place 1 lamb shank atop green onions and mushrooms on each foil square.

Pour reserved mushroom soaking liquid and Sherry into same skillet. Boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, about 10 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons reduced liquid over each lamb shank, pulling up foil around shanks to prevent liquid from spilling out. Enclose shanks completely in foil, twisting foil to seal; place on large rimmed baking sheet.

Bake lamb shanks until very tender and meat almost falls off bones, about 2 hours. Open up foil packets; place each atop bowl of steamed rice, allowing diners to remove foil.

* Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of supermarkets.
** A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

These cakes are great for parties because they can be completely assembled the day before and then quickly baked before serving, for the all-important “ooze” factor.

Makes 8.

INGREDIENTS

• ice cream
• 1pint vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
• 1tablespoon dark rumcakes
• 14ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/4cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2teaspoons ground coriander
• 2teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2teaspoon ground white pepper
• 6large eggs
• 6large egg yolks
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3cups powdered sugar
• 1cup all purpose flouradditional powdered sugar
• crystallized ginger strips

DIRECTIONS For ice cream:
Place softened ice cream in medium bowl. Using plastic spatula, fold ginger and rum into ice cream. Transfer to airtight container. Freeze ice cream mixture until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.)

For cakes:
Generously butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes. Stir chocolate, butter, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk in 3 cups powdered sugar, then chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared dishes, filling to top and dividing equally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake cakes until batter has risen above dish, top edges are dark brown, and centers are still soft and runny, about 15 minutes, or about 18 minutes for refrigerated batter. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Allow cakes to rest in dishes 5 minutes. Using hot pad and holding dish very firmly, place plate gently atop 1 cake and invert onto plate. Repeat with remaining cakes. Dust with powdered sugar. Top with crystallized ginger. Serve cakes with rum-ginger ice cream.