Dayrecipe Food Community

Extra milk makes these potatoes silky-smooth, and truffle oil adds luxurious flavor.

Makes 2 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 14ounces (about 2 medium) yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into1/2-inch pieces
• 1cup whole milk2tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1/2teaspoon white truffle oil*
• ground white pepper

DIRECTIONS Cook potatoes in medium saucepan of salted boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return to saucepan. Mash until smooth; transfer to processor. Bring milk to simmer in heavy small saucepan.

Add hot milk, butter, and truffle oil to potatoes; blend until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Stir over medium-low heat to rewarm.)

*Available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

“I was at a conference in West Vancouver, British Columbia, when I discovered Salmon House on the Hill,” writes Beth D’Ambrosio of Pittsford, New York. “The one thing more breathtaking than the restaurant’s view was dessert: a slice of impossibly rich chocolate cake topped with raspberry sorbet.”

This dense and fudgy flourless chocolate cake isn’t baked—it’s steamed on top of the stove. The cake will puff up while it steams and fall as it cools.

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 14ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4cup light corn syrup
• 6large eggs
• 3/4cup sugarraspberry sorbet

DIRECTIONS Line 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with 3 layers of plastic wrap, overlapping sides of pan by 8 inches. Melt bittersweet chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until doubled in volume and pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture (mixture will deflate). Pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Cover cake tightly with overhanging plastic wrap.

Place steamer rack on bottom of large pot. Pour enough water into pot to almost reach bottom of steamer rack; bring to boil. Place cake on steamer rack. Cover pot and steam until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, adding more hot water to pot if necessary, about 2 hours. Remove cake from steamer. Refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 6 hours. (Cake can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time. Keep refrigerated.) Slice cake with knife dipped into hot water and wiped dry. Top each serving with scoop of raspberry sorbet and serve immediately.

“Many of my friends are chocolate lovers, and this recipe seems to do the trick every time,” writes Ann Bolger of East Lansing, Michigan.

Active time: 1/2 hr Start to finish: 3 hr

Makes about 6 dozen.

INGREDIENTS

• 4oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1/8stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2cup all-purpose flour
• 2tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch-process)
• 1/4teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1cup sugar
• 3large eggs
• 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS Melt unsweetened chocolate, butter, and 1 cup chocolate chips in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cool.Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

Beat together sugar, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes. Mix in melted chocolate mixture and then flour mixture at low speed until combined well. Stir in remaining cup chips. Chill, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Roll heaping teaspoons of dough into 1-inch balls with dampened hands and arrange 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in batches in middle of oven until puffed and set, about 10 minutes (cookies will be soft in center). Transfer to racks to cool.

Pan-roasting the vegetables imparts an earthy sweetness to this dish.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1large red onion, chopped
• 2white potatoes (about 10 ounces), peeled, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2medium parsnips, peeled, sliced1/4 inch thick
• 1carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1small turnip, peeled, halved, thinly sliced
• 5cups (or more) water2tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 4teaspoons truffle oil

DIRECTIONS Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add remaining vegetables; sauté until deep golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add 5 cups water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to pot. Thin with more water if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into 4 soup bowls. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tablespoon chives and drizzle each with 1 teaspoon truffle oil. Serve immediately.

Truffle oil adds an earthy nuance, but using olive oil will also result in a delicious bread.

Makes 1 large loaf.

INGREDIENTS

• 2cups lukewarm water (85°f to 95°f)
• 1tablespoon active dry yeast (for do-ahead version) or quick-rising dry yeast (for same-day version)
• 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2tablespoons white or black truffle oil* or olive oil
• 1tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 2teaspoons salt
• 4 3/4cups (about) bread flour1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2teaspoons coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS Stir 2 cups lukewarm water and yeast in large bowl to blend. Mix in 3 tablespoons olive oil, truffle oil, cracked pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add 1 cup flour. Using wood spoon, stir vigorously until well incorporated. Add enough of remaining 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, to form dough that is soft, sticky and not completely smooth, stirring vigorously until well incorporated. Oil large bowl. Scrape dough into oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. For do-ahead version: Chill dough overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature in warm draft-free area before proceeding. For same-day version: Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).

Lightly oil 15×10x1-inch baking sheet. Slide out dough onto prepared baking sheet (dough will be soft and will easily slide out onto sheet; do not punch down dough or knead dough). Gently pull and stretch dough so that doughalmost covers baking sheet. Press fingertips all over top of dough to form indentations. Brush top of focaccia with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, rosemary and coarse salt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until puffed, about 30 minutes for refrigerated dough and about 15 minutes for room-temperature dough.

Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450°F. Bake focaccia until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

*Available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.