BEST CAKE

Marian Burros's Italian Plum Torte, from the NYT via Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients:

4 oz (1 stick) butter, softened

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

4.75 oz (1 c) AP flour

1 t baking powder

large pinch salt

12 Italian plums, halved and pitted

2 T granulated sugar

1 t ground cardamom

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8" square glass dish.

Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add eggs and mix thoroughly.  

Mix dry ingredients and stir into wet ingredients.  Spread evenly in dish and cover with fruit, pressing into batter slightly.  Sprinkle with sugar and cardamom.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden and puffed.

SUGARPINE DRIVE-IN CORN AND MELON CHILI CRISP SALAD

Inspired by a salad at Sugarpine Drive-In

"Curried Corn and Melon:

Salad of fresh Hermiston watermelon & honeydew with arugula, cucumber and watermelon radish, dressed in chili crisp and lime vinaigrette and served on a base of curry coconut-creamed corn, crispy corn dust."

Ingredients:

Curried Coconut Corn:

4 ears corn, kernels removed from cob

1 c lite coconut milk

1/4 t salt

1 t lime juice

1/2 t curry powder, or 1/16 t each turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin

Chili Crisp Vinaigrette:

1 T chili crisp

1 t black vinegar

1 t lime juice

1 t soy sauce

1/4 t sugar

1/4 t sesame oil

2 t shallot oil

2 c cut cucumbers

2 or 3 radishes, shaved

3 c balled or cut watermelon and honeydew melon

2 c arugula

corn nuts for garnish

Methodology:

Simmer all corn ingredients together until liquid has mostly evaporated.  Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together.

Place 1/2 of corn in the bottom of a large salad bowl.  Assemble remaining salad ingredients on this corn base, top with corn nuts and vinaigrette, and serve.

RHUBARB SHRUB

 From Christina Chaey's Gentle Foods Substack newsletter

Ingredients:

2 c rhubarb stalks, sliced 1/2" thick, divided

1 c (200 g) sugar

1/4 c water

1 c vinegar (sherry or rice)

Methodology:

Place half the rhubarb in a heatproof bowl.

Combine the remaining rhubarb, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally.  Scrape mixture into heatproof bowl with remaining rhubarb and stir to combine. 

Let the mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours, stirring occasionally. 

Add vinegar and stir to combine.  Taste and add more sugar or vinegar as you please - it should be equal parts sweet and tart.  Cover the container and chill mixture for at least 24 hours, up to 3 days, until you're happy with the flavor. 

Strain the shrub and store for up to 6 weeks, refrigerated.  The solid pieces of rhubarb are great for snacking or stirred into yoghurt. 

Serve by stirring a few teaspoons into a glass of seltzer. 

FRESH TOMATO HERB SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

1/2 garlic clove, mashed
1 small tomato, diced
1/4 t herbamare seasoning
1 1/2 t chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, thyme, oregano, parsley
1/2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t sugar
splash of white wine
white wine vinegar
olive oil

This is lovely over a green salad, but also excellent spooned over broiled belgian endives or steamed green beans.

SOBA NOODLES WITH SESAME SEEDS

 Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Serves 2

Ingredients:

30g sesame seeds

2T soy sauce

2t rice vinegar

2t honey

2t sesame oil

2 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal

100g soba noodles (cooked and blanched according to package instructions)

Methodology:

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over high heat, tossing frequently, until they turn golden brown, and start making popping sounds.

Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil, until the honey is dissolved.  Add the scallions, sesame seeds, and the cool, drained noodles.  Mix thoroughly, and let stand for half an hour, to allow the noodles to absorb some of the dressing.  

GARLIC SESAME DRESSING FOR COLD NOODLE SALAD

Adapted from The Cozy Apron

Ingredients:

3-4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1 T neutral oil

1 T sesame oil

2 T honey

3 T soy sauce

2 T rice vinegar

1 T sambal oelek

1 t grated ginger

1 t ground toasted sesame seeds

Methodology:

Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the garlic.  Toast over low heat until aromatic and no longer raw, 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and add the sesame oil.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together.  Whisking continuously, add the garlic oil in a thin stream.  Store the dressing in a tightly-sealed jar in the refrigerator.

CILANTRO SALAD

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks


Ingredients:

Shallot oil:
1 1/2c neutral oil
10-20 shallots, sliced in 1/8" rounds

Salad:
1 bunch cilantro, very fresh, chopped
3 sprigs of mint (optional), sliced
3 sprigs of Thai basil (optional), sliced
1/8 head red cabbage, finely shaved

Dressing:
1/4 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. fish sauce
1/2 t. lime juice
1/2 t. rice syrup (or sugar)
2 T. shallot oil

To finish:
1/4 c. peanuts, toasted and smashed
Toasted, ground sesame seeds


Methodology:

Fry the shallots in the oil over medium heat, until they are toasted and deeply golden, 15-20 minutes.  Watch them carefully toward the end, as they scorch quickly.  Drain the shallots on paper towels and strain the oil into a jar.  Store the oil in the fridge.

Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk the dressing and toss with the salad to combine.  Top with peanuts and ground sesame seeds.  

COLD SOBA NOODLES WITH GREEN VEGETABLES

Inspired by this Bon Appetit recipe.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

7 oz. soba noodles
1/2 c. frozen peas
8 stalks of asparagus, sliced diagonally into 1" pieces
4 cups (small bunch) of frisee or mache
1/2 c. shaved daikon radish
1 cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
1/4 c. kimchi, sliced into matchsticks
4  6.5-7 minute eggs
1 avocado

optional:
3 c. kale
1 c. shredded green cabbage

Dressing:
1/4 c. kimchi juice
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 t. sugar
3/4 t. grated ginger
1/2 t. sesame oil
1/2 t. chili oil, optional
1/2 c. vegetable broth


Methodology:

Boil eggs: 
Bring water to boil, add eggs slowly and cook for 6.5-7 minutes, draining and chilling in a cold bath before peeling.

Make dressing:
Mix all ingredients together in a small pot.  Heat to boiling and poach the cabbage and kale for 3 minutes.  Remove the vegetables and thoroughly drain the sauce, putting it in a separate bowl.

Cook vegetables and noodles:
Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add asparagus pieces (except tips) and cook for 3 minutes.  Add asparagus tips and cook for another minute.  Add peas and cook for another minute.  Remove vegetables from pot with a spider and briefly transfer to a cold bath, then drain.
Bring water back to boil, then cook noodles following directions on the package, keeping them al dente.  Drain and rinse with cold water until noodles are cold. 

Plate:
Place noodles onto the center of each plate.  Place cucumber, daikon, avocado, frisee, kimchi and asparagus/peas around the noodles.  Place kale/cabbage braise on top of the noodles, and drizzle sauce onto all of the vegetables.  Place egg onto center of plate and sprinkle with shredded nori or furikake seasoning.