SUCCOTASH

You would think that coming from truck farming country on the Eastgern Shore of Maryland, I would have had wonderful succotash, a staple at church suppers in the summer. The truth is, I always avoided it, even when served at home, because it was bland and tasteless and usually cooked to death - the corn tough and the beans mealy. It wasn't until I tried this recipe that I found out how good succotash can be. Bill Blass serves this with his famous meatloaf, and a great combination (and easy) it certainly is.

BILL BLASS'S SUCCOTASH

serves 6



1 t butter

2 C cooked corn (you can use canned; just drain it first)

1 C cooked lima beans (you can use frozen, but thawed)

1 t sugar

1 C heavy cream

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the corn, lima  beans and sugar, mixing to coat the vegetables well. Stir in the cream, a little bit at a time, and continue to stir until the mixture thickens, about 5 minuts. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Be sure not to overcook or the corn will be tough and the beans mealy.

Cannot be made ahead.

BARB'S BAKED MUSHROOMS

My sister, Barb, the farmer's wife, didn't really like to cook. When she did, she wanted the process to be simple and the result good. With this formula, she made meals for many years for her own family of seven and produced endless gallons of iced tea for the workers on the farm at harvest time. This is one of her specialties. It was made for all the larger Cooper family gatherings. It meets my sister's criteria; it's simple to make and tastes great.

BARB'S BAKED MUSHROOMS

serves 6 as a side dish



1 T butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 C sour cream

2 T each, parsley and dill weed, chopped

1/2 C whole milk

1 egg

1/2 C bread crumbs, unflavored

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 lb fresh white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a heavy skillet and saute onions over medium heat until golden brown.

3. Beat egg and mix in bread crumbs, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir in mushrooms, onion, parsley and dill. Pour into greased casserole and bake 20 to 30 minutes until the custard is set.

To make ahead: put casserole together and hold it covered and refrigerated until ready to bake.

COMFORT CARROTS

Sarah Chase, from whom this recipe comes, says it better than I can. "This unusual method of parboiling carrots with a vanilla bean induces a magical and delicate flavor transformation in this most common of vegetables. The fluffy orange puree with wisps of bright geen chives goes superbly with roast lamb or chicken." Or ham.

COMFORT CARROTS

serves 6 - 8

2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch diagonal chunks

1 vanilla bean

2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 C light cream, or half and half

1 T grainy mustard

2 T minced fresh chives, plus additional for garnish

1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Place the carrots and vanilla bean in a saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until the carrots are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and discard vanilla bean. (Or let it dry and then put it in a container with sugar, to make vanilla sugar.)

2. Place the carrots in a food processor, add the butter, and process to a smooth puree. With the machine running, slowly pour the cream through the feed tube and process until completely blended. Blend in the mustard. Add the chives, nutmeg, salt and pepper and process just to combine.

3. Serve the puree immediately or to make ahead, hold the puree at this point and then gently reheat it in a double boiler over simmering water at serving time. Garnish with a sprinkling of chives just before serving.

COBB SALAD

Since it's one of my favorites, I've eaten Cobb salad in many places in the world; it seems to be a popular item on so many restaurant menus. But the versions are all different, and except for the usual chicken, many do not include what I consider to be essential ingredients, like roquefort cheese and bacon, even the avocado or hard boiled egg. So here's what both Gourmet and Saveur, my favorite cooking magazines, have called the "authentic" version, with all the ingredients I so look forward to. The recipe comes from The Brown Derby, that hat-shaped restaurant in Hollywood where the dish was created and where it became a signature item, named by the chef in 1929 for Bob Cobb, the owner of the restaurant. Legend says it was created late at night for a client out of leftovers in the kitchen.

COBB SALAD

(The "Authentic" Version)

serves 6 - 8



For the Salad

1/2 large head lettuce, shredded

2 chicken breasts (whole, or 4 pieces), cooked, chilled and diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

3/4 C (3-oz) crumbled Roquefort cheese

2 medium, ripe avocados, halved, peeled and cut into wedges

1 small head Belgian endive, leaves separated

1 T chopped fresh chives

1/2 C Brown Derby French Dressing

1. Place the shredded lettuce in a large bowl. Over the lettuce, arrange a row each of chicken, tomatoes, eggs, bacon and cheese. Tuck in the avocado wedges and endive leaves to garnish. Sprinkle all with the chives, as desired. Toss at the table with 1/2 cup dressing; if this seems a little sparse, taste and add more, a little at a time, until all the ingredients are covered.

For the Brown Derby Dressing (makes about 3 cups)

1/2 C red wine vinegar

1/2 C water

1 T lemon juice

1 1/2 t black pepper

1 t salt

1/2 t sugar

1/2 t dry mustard

1 1/2 t Worchestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 C vegetable oil

1/2 C olive oil

1. Put all ingredients except the oils in a jar, then screw on the lid and shake to blend. Add the oils and recover; shake vigourously to mix well. Chill thoroughly; shake again before using.

Note: see previous posting for how to make the perfect hard boiled egg and your choice of how to cook the chicken, poached or roasted. I'd use the roasting method, without any herbs. . When tomatoes are not in season, use 6-8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half. If you're worried about the avocado turning brown, sprinkle it with just a little lemon juice.

To Make Ahead: This can all be made ahead and held, the ingredients in separate bowls, covered in the refrigerator. Wait to assemble the salad until you're ready to serve it.

NOODLES WITH CARROTS AND DILL

This is a dish I used to serve often but had forgotten about until I started looking through my cookbooks for recipes for this blog. It's good with anything (I wrote some time ago) but I usually serve it with Curried Chicken and Shrimp (from yesterday). It's easy to make; the only tedious part is cutting up the carrots. Be sure to use fresh dill. The dried stuff can't compare. And I'm going to go back to making this soon! (This recipe is adapted from Pierre Franey's 60 Minute Gourmet.)

NOODLES WITH CARROTS AND DILL

serves 4

1 small carrot, trimed and scraped

1/2 lb fine noodles

salt to taste

5 T butter

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 T chopped fresh dill

1. Cut the carrot lengthwise into quarter inch thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them into quarter inch thick stips. Cut the strips into two inch lengths. There should be about 2/3 cup of matchstick-shaped carrots.

2. Put the noodles on to cook in boiling salted water, to the desired degree of doneness, according to the package directions.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet and add the carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring.

4. When the noodles are ready, drain them quickly but thoroughly. Spoon them onto the carrots, add the dill and remaining butter and toss quickly. Serve hot.

This cannot be made ahead.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND SHRIMP

In the early days of nouvelle cuisine, back in the roaring 80's, there was a wonderful restaurant in Baltimore that, while not very prepossessing, served very good and (for the time) unusual food. I went there as often as I could and frequently took my good friend: I'll call her Marie. Over time, we became regulars and could even get a table on short notice. On one such night, I said to the host, without giving it much thought, that we had so enjoyed his company and that of the staff that I would like to invite them to my home, to enjoy my own hospitality. He and the staff readily accepted.

After we were safely out on the street, Marie looked at me as though I were out of my mind. "Do you know what you've just done?" she asked. "You've just agreed to cook a meal fo rthe chef of the best restaurnat in town. Are you crazy?" Maybe I'd had a little too much wine.

After a lot of thought about what I'd serve, I asked the staff to come for lunch and served them this wonderful curried dish. It's easy to make (easier than the recipe for curried chicken already posted here) and tastes great. Since then, I've served this many times, usually doubling the recipe here, and I've always gotten applause. You can serve this with NOODLES WITH CARROTS AND DILL, coming up tomorrow.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND SHRIMP

serves 4

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, about 1 1/2 lb (1 whole breast)

4 T butter

1/2 C onion, finely chopped

1/4 t garlic, finely chopped

1/2 C finely diced celery

2 T curry powder

1 T tomato paste

1/2 C banana, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 peeled apple, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 C chicken broth

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

1. Rinse the shrimp and drain well. There should be about 2 cups. Set aside.

2. Cut the chicken into one inch cubes. There should be about 3 cups. Set aside.

3. Heat half the butter in a nonstick skillet and add the onion and garlic. Cook briefly and add the celery. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with curry powder and stir. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the banana and apple. Stir.

4. Add the broth and stir to blend. Add salt to taste. Simmer about 10 minutes.

5. Heat the remaining butter in another, larger saucepan and add the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and spinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, pour the curry mixture into the container of a food processor or electric blender. If a blender is used, this may haave to be done in two or more stages.

7. Pour the curry sauce over the chicken and shrimp. Bring to a boil and simmer about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To do ahead: I often make the curry mixture, blend it and then hold it, covered and chilled, until ready to go on with the recipe. Then I reheat the mixture and proceed.

Note: serve this with Noodles with Carrots and Dill (see the recipe, coming up tomorrow), accompanied by a good, rich beer and a green salad. This makes a great combination.

CHICKEN MARENGO

The legend goes that this dish was created for Napoleon by his chef just before the battle of Marengo, using simple ingredients he could find in the countryside around the general's encampment. (I guess he used tomatoes instead of tomato paste.) This recipe uses only one pan, nice for the clean-up person, and is for two, but can easily be increased in proportions to make the dish for 4 or 6. In that case, you may want to use 2 pans.

CHICKEN MARENGO

serves 2

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (2 halves)

2 T unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 bacon slices, chopped

1/3 C dry white wine

1 T tomato paste

1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced and stems removed (you can use white button ones)

1. Pound the thickest parts of the chicken to flatten slightly, then pat dry and season with salt and pepper. (If you do this with the chicken between two layers of wax paper, the chicken will be less bruised. You can use a rolling pin, or your fist, if you're feeling pugilistic.)

2. Heat butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute onion and bacon over high heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

3. While onion and bacon cook, stir together wine and tomato paste.

4. Push onion and bacon to the edge of the skillet and add chicken skinned sides down. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken over and add mushrooms and wine mixture. Cook, covered, over moderately high heat until chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

This recipe is best done at the last minute.

NANCY HERNKE'S ONION SOUP

My long-time friend, Nancy Hernke, was a sales representative in Minneapolis for the furniture company where I was once sales manager. On one visit to her territory, I flew into Minneapolis on a Sunday night, dressed casually in Levis, cowboy boots and a flannel shirt. Unfortunately, my luggage went on to Omaha and couldn't be retrieved in time for me to change for my sales calls on Monday morning. So I made presentations in Levis, cowboy boots and a flannel shirt, suggesting to my audiences that they should buy and specify from a company, unlike United  Airlines, on which they could depend. These were some of the most attentive audiences I'd had.

On the Sunday night of my arrival, Nancy planned dinner for a couple of designers and served this wonderful onion soup that relies on chicken broth for its body and has a heavy dose of dry vermouth. The resultant sweetness makes a lighter beginning to a meal than the usual beef broth and cheese variety that usually makes up an onion soup. Like my audiences in Minneapolis, your guests will pay rapt attention to this presentation of onion soup, and at least one of them will ask you for the recipe. Tell her it's from Nancy Hernke! 

NANCY HERNKE'S ONION SOUP

serves 8

1/4 lb butter (yes, a quarter pound)

6 large yellow onions, sliced very thin (use a mandoline if you have one)

2 T sugar

2 T flour

7 C chicken stock, preferably home-made but canned or boxed is okay

1 t Aunt Jane's Crazy Mixed-up salt (if you have it, or if not, use sea salt)

1/8 t coarsely ground black pepper

chunk of butter

2 small onions, sliced

watercress, or finely chopped parsley for garnish

lots of dry vermouth

heavy cream for color and taste

1. Melt the 1/4 pound butter in a large saucepan (or Dutch oven) or heavy skillet (really big) and add the 6 sliced onions. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, without disturbing.

2. Add sugar and flour to the onions in the pan. Stir cook for a few minutes, to cook out the raw flour taste.

3. Stir in the chicken stock, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

4. Meanwhile, stir cook the 2 sliced onions over medium low heat in a chunk of butter, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, Once these are brown and slightly crisp, add them to the soup for color and taste.

5. Add lots of dry vermouth, to taste. (I add about 1/2 cup.) The recipe can be made to this point and held, covered and chilled, until ready to proceed. It can also be frozen for a month or two.

6. When ready to proceed, reheat soup to the boiling point. Add cream to color and taste, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup but do not let the soup with the cream boil, or it will separate.

7. Serve with chopped watercress or parsley and lots of coarsely ground black pepper on top.

Note: see recipe for how to make ahead. Although cream doesn't really like to be frozen, I've often successfully frozen whatever is left of this soup from a dinner party and reheated it for my own use. With crusty bread, a green salad and some white wine, this makes a lovely meal.

CHOUCROUTE

Despite my vow to only include here dishes that I've tried, I must admit that I've never made this one. But I've enjoyed it so much, and twice, through the wonderful hospitality of my friends, Bill and John, that just from eating it, it's become one of my favorites. One day I'll get around to trying it myself.

In a way, this is a daring dish to serve, because not all people like sauerkraut, the main part of this dish. It might be a good idea to check with your guests first to see if they like this kind of peasant fare. Or, just be selfish and eat it all yourself! This recipe is adapted from The New York Times Cookbook, edited by Craig Claiborne.

CHOUCROUTE a l'ALSACIENNE

(Sauerkraut with meats)

serves 6



2 quarts sauerkraut, canned or in bulk

pork rind or salt pork

2 cloves garlic, chopped

freshly ground black pepper

dry white Alsatian wine

1 onion, stuck with 4 cloves

a combination of meats (see note)

1. Wash the sauerkraut, drain and squeeze out the liquid.

2. Line a heavy kettle or Dutch oven with pork rind or thin slices of salt pork. Add the sauerkraut, garlic, pepper and enoughj wine to cover. Add the onion stuck with cloves.

3. Cover tightly and cook in a preheated 325 degree oven, or simmer gently on top of the stove three and one half to four hours. Add more wine as necessary. Remove the onion with cloves before serving.

Note: for Polish sausages, add for the last 35 minutes of cooking. For franfurters: cook on the sauerkraut for five minutes. For Knockwurst: add for the last fifteen or twenty minutes. For a ham slice, heat through in a little of the wine. Add all these, in pieces or whole, to the sauerkraut.

To do ahead: this can all be done ahead and reheated in a 325 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

MINTED PEA SOUP

In the Winter of 2002, I was fortunate to be able to go on a cruise around Australia and New Zealand. These countries are among the most beautiful I've seen and the people are very friendly and hospitable. My traveling companion enjoyed a casual acquaintance with a couple in Sydney who met us for lunch at the Sydney Museum Cafe. We sat outside with the distinctive Sydney Opera House in the background. I loved this soup, and the chef, a friend of our hosts, kindly gave me the recipe. It calls for fresh peas but you can use frozen one if you don't like the shelling process.

MINTED PEA SOUP

serves 6-8

2 1/2 lb fresh peas (or frozen, thawed)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

10 fresh mint leaves, chopped

8 1/2 C chicken stock

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

olive oil for cooking the onions and garlic.

1. Sweat off the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium low heat until transparent. Add the peas, then the mint, and cook for a short time. Add the chicken stock and simmer until the peas are cooked through and soft, stirring occasionally.

2. Blend and chill, covered, until ready to serve

To do ahead: this recipe, from the Rockpool Restaurant in Sydney (courtesy of Cynthia Jackson, our hostess) can be made completely ahead.



CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

I discovered this recipe in Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins's "New Basic Cookbook" when I was looking for something apply-y to serve with pork. It's ideal - easy and quick - and making it in the microwave gives the applesauce a freshness that long stewing cannot accomplish. You can peel the apples or not, depending on how much time you have or how ambitious you feel. This applesauce is great with pork but it's also good with anything, at any time.

CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

serves 4 - 6 as a side dish



2 McIntosh apples

2 Granny Smith apples (or other tart apples)

1 C water

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 C sugar

1/2 t ground cinnamon.

1. Halve and core the McIntosh apples; peel them if you like. Cut each into 6 wedges.

2. Halve and core the Granny Smith apples; peel them if you like. Cut them into 1-inch chunks.

3. Combine the apples, water, and lemon juice in a deep microwave-safe 2 1/2 quart casserole.

4. Toss the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, and stir this into the apple mixture.

5. Cook in your microwave oven, uncovered, at full power for 5 minutes. Stir, pressing the apples into the liquid, and return to the microwave. Cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the apples, stirring them into the liquid. Allow the applesauce to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

EASY OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

This recipe comes from my friend Jimmy, on the Eastern Shore. It bears little resemblance to the original Oysters Rockefeller, created in the late nineteenth century by Antoine's restaurant in New Orleans. Still, it's not a bad substitute and it's much easier to prepare.

JIMMY'S EASY OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Start by shucking four to six oysters per person, retaining one side of the shell for serving. Cut the oyster underneath to free it from the shell. On top of the oyster, still in the one side of the oyster retained, place a dab of chopped fresh spinach, a small slice of very sharp Cheddar cheese, a small piece of cooked bacon and a dash of hot sauce, like Tabasco. Heat the oysters under the broiler for about 10 minutes.

If you have rock salt, it's nice to serve these with the shells nestled in the salt. This helps to keep them from tipping over and makes a nice presentation.

To Do Ahead: the oysters can be shucked ahead and kept in a covered broiler pan in the refrigerator for part of a day. Make the rest of the preparations just before serving.

SCALLOPED POTATOES

One of my most faithful followers has asked me for a recipe for potatoes. As I told him, I've previously posted a recipe for roasted potatoes with rosemary or thyme (see the post on Side Dishes). But this recipe for what is essentially scalloped potatoes (here referred to rather grandly as a potato gratin) is really a very special way to present potatoes.

I guess it was my sister's Irish blood that made her love potatoes so much. She told me many times that she could make a meal of potatoes alone. Our family holiday dinners at the farm always included her scalloped potatoes and remembering them fondly, I've consulted many cookbooks for the ultimate recipe. A couple of my favorites include fennel, an anise flavored vegetable that is hard and not very appetizing when raw, but delicious when cooked, with a faintly aniselike flavor. The recipe that follows is my conglomeration of two, one from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and the other from a cookbook (devoted solely to potatoes) that I found at a yard sale. I'm sure my sister would have loved both.

This recipe calls for slicing the fennel and potatoes so they're very thin, best and most easily done with a mandoline but if you don't have one, just slice them with a sharp knife so they're as thin as you can possibly make them. Be careful not to cut your fingers. Don't skimp on fresh herbs, especially the tarragon, which makes all the difference between good scalloped potatoes and spectacular ones.

FENNEL POTATO GRATIN

serves 10



2 small fennel bulbs

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 T good olive oil

1 T unsalted butter

2 lb russet potatoes (about 4 large)

2 C plus 2 T heavy cream

1 T chopped fresh tarragon

1 T chopped fresh thyme

2 1/2 C grated Gruyere cheese (about 1/2 lb; see note below)

1 t kosher salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 10 x 15 x 2 inch baking dish.

2. Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium low heat for 15 minutes, or until tender.

3. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice them on a mandoline or by hand. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyere cheese, chopped thyme and chopped tarragon, salt and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.

4. Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to compress the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender (check by piercing one with a fork or knife) and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.

Note: while the Gruyere cheese adds a wonderful slightly nutty flavor to the dish, it's a lot more expensive than parmesan, which can be a reasonable subsitute. But not the kind that comes in a green cylindar, please. Use good parmesan and grate it yourself (or grate it in a food processor).

To make ahead: the dish can be completely assembled and held, covered with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, buttered side down, in the refrigerator. Bring the gratin back to room temperature and remove the foil before proceeding with the baking.

CHEESECAKE

Okay. It's really time for a great dessert. And cheesecake is among everyone's favorites. So here's a recipe for a very special cheesecake that will not be like any other one, guaranteed - including a New York style cheesecake - your guests have ever enjoyed. This recipe takes a little time but with a little organization, it goes easily. It has to be made the day before serving in order to give it time to solidify and meld in your refrigerator. That leaves you free to prepare the other parts of your meal on the day of your dinner party. When I first made this, many years ago (for a friend who thought of herself as a cheesecake specialist), I had to shell the pistachios but now you can find them already shelled (saving your fingernails). Once made, this serves a lot of people so if you don't want to have to eat large portions of it later, by yourself (there could be worse things!), invite a lot of friends to share it with you. They'll be glad you did. My cheesecake expert was!

The recipe calls for eggs and cream cheese at room temperature. I just leave them out the night before.

PISTACHIO-CRUSTED CHEESECAKE

WITH ORANGE CARAMEL SAUCE

serves 12

For the filling

3 8-oz containers plain, low-fat yogurt

1 1/2 lb cream cheese, at room temperature

1 C sugar

1 t grated lemon zest

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/4 t Kosher salt

2 T all purpose flour

2 T plus 1 t fresh lemon juice

2 t vanilla extract

1 t honey

For the crust

1 C shelled pistachios

1 1/2 t grated orange zest

1/8 t Kosher salt

1 t ground cinnamon

5 T sugar

4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional for greasing pan

For the sauce

4 navel oranges (to avoid seeds)

1/4 C orange juice (without pulp)

1 C sugar

3 T water

1/2 C heavy cream

1. This cake must be made one day before serving. To begin making the filling, place a sieve over a bowl and line it with a double layer of paper towels. spoon the yogurt into the sieve and let it drain for 2 hours. On days when I'm making this, I let the yogurt drain while I'm having breakfast and by the time I've read the morning paper, the yogurt is ready.)

2. Preheat the oven to 325. To make the crust, place pistachcios, orange zest, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a food processor and pulse until nuts are ground. (Do not grind to a paste.) Put in a bowl and stir in the melted butter.

3. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Press the pistachio mixture into the bottom of the pan with your fingers, making it as consistently thick as possible. (You can use the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass to press the crust down.) Set aside.

4. To continue making the fillling, place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, gradually add the sugar, beating  until light. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary while incorporating the ingredients. Add the lemon zest and the drained yogurt, then the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the salt and flour, then the lemon juice, vanilla and honey.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place in a large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway  up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is set, about 1 1/2 hours.

6. Remove the cake from the water and let it cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

7. To make the sauce, use a paring knife to remove all the peel and pith from the oranges, working over a bowl to collect any juice. Cut the orange sections out from between the membranes and place the sections in the bowl. Add the 1/4 cup orange juice to the bowl and set aside. (See previous posts on this blog for instructions on segmenting fruit.)

8. Stir the sugar and water together in a medium saucepan. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Place over medium low heat and cook without stirring until the sugar turns a nice caramel color. (Once the sugar starts to turn, you can stir the mixture slowly with a fork to help the caramel color evenly.) Remove from heat and carefully pour in the heavy cream. (The mixture will hiss and steam. It helps to turn the saucepan on a slight angle and pour the cream in along the lower wall of the pan, like pouring beer. Be careful because this is very hot and the mixture will splatter.) Return to the heat and stir in the oranges and juice. Set aside. (The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated and warmed slightly before serving.)

9 When ready to serve, release the sides of the springform pan. To cut the cake, rinse a large sharp knife under hot water and cut a slice of cake. Wipe off the knife and reheat with hot water before slicing the  next piece. Place on dessert plates and spoon a pool of sauce, with orange sections, beside each slice.

To Make Ahead: this can all be made the day before. Just reheat the sauce a little before serving.

Note: This will keep, covered and refrigerated, for several days (or dinners!).



SWEET AND SOUR DRESSING

When I was in college, a classmate who had a crush on me invited me home to visit with her family for the weekend. Terry was attractive and bright and her family had a swimming pool, a tennis court and a red, 1955 T Bird. Of course I went.

During the preparatoins for dinner, Terry's mother asked me to go down into the basement to get some of her bottled salad dressing, which I dutifully brought up into the kitchen. She said it had been sidtting for a while and needed to be shaken up. When I did this, the cork came out of the bottle and salad dressing went all over the kitchen floor. Was I embarrassed? You bet!

The girl didn't get me, but I got the recipe for the dressing. She's divorced now and the T Bird is long gone. I think I got the better, lasting part of the weekend!

PEGGY'S SWEET AND SOUR DRESSING

makes about 3 cups

1 C oil (unflavored is better but you can use olive oil if you wish; but it seems a waste)

1 C red wine vinegar

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C minced fresh chives

1/4 C minced celery

2 T minced green onion

2 T minced watercress

2 t dry mustard

1 T Worchestershire sauce

2 t salt

freshly ground black pepper to tase

Combine all ingredients and blend, in a blender. Bottle in jars. Shake (carefully!) before using. Lasts indefinitely.

To Make Ahead: this can all be made on some day when you want to cook, and stored in bottles until you're ready to use it. Once open, keep in the regrigerator.

COLD TOMATO SOUP WITH A SURPRISE

When I was designing furniture, particularly pull-up chairs, I was always looking for some feature I could design into the product that the user would experience without expecting it, what I called a surprise, or the Aha Phenomenon. One of my favorites was running a groove under the inside of the arm so that it would hold the thumb nicely when the user grabbed the arm. Tranferring that to food, here's a soup with that same quality, a surprise lurking in the bottom of the bowl. Your guests may ask, "What's this?" The surprise will give them that aha feeling. The recipe comes from Jean Georges Vongerichten

COLD TOMATO SOUP WITH CUCUMBER AND CANTALOUPE

serves 4

2 lb tomatoes (in winter, use plum ones, or grape ones)

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 fresh basil leaves (now available in most grocery stores year-round)

5 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1/4 t sugar

salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper

1 cucumber, peeled, halved and seeded

cantaloupe, watermelon or honeydew melon

chopped fresh basil

1. Core the tomatoes and chop them roughlly, combining them in a suacepan with their seeds and juice, along with the garlic, basil leaves, oil, vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt and about 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Heat to about 150 degrees (you can use an instant read thermometer)...hot, but well below the boiling point.

2. Remove from the heat and strain through a seive to remove the seeds and skins. Cool either over a bowl of ice water or in the refrigerator. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary.

3. When ready to eat, use the small end of a melon baller to scoop about 40 tiny balls from the cucumber and melon. Or, if you don't have a melon baller, you can dice the cucumber and melon. Divide the cucumber and melon balls among 4 bowls and pour the soup over them. Garnish with chopped basil.

Note: prepare the cucumber by first peeling it with a vegetable peeler. Then cut it in half longitudinally. Use a spoon to scoop out the bed of seeds.

To make ahead: prepare the soup and the cucumber and melon balls and refrigerate. Add the cucumber and melon, and the basil garnish, just before serving.





SIDE DISHES

Several of you have asked me to recommend and provide recipes for side dishes to go with the more main courses I've posted. So here you go. 

Often, just a green salad and some bread will finish a meal nicely, especially with a stew like my recipes for Beef Stew, Italian Stew with Chicken and Sausage and even Beef Bourguignon, previously posted. I've also provided a recipe for my favorite vinaigrette. If you want a more complex salad, consult your refrigerator for stray bits of celery or carrots or green, red or yellow peppers. Chop these up and toss them in the salad. You can even go so far as to make a more complex salad your main course. Use your imagination, knowing that whatever you might put in a sandwich you can put in a salad: cheese, ham, leftover turkey or chicken, etc.

The traditional (supposedly) well-rounded meal contains protein, a carbohydrate and a green vegetable. If your main course contains a carb, like pasta, you only need some green vegetable to have a traditional meal. My favorite green vegetables are three: asparagus, broccoli and green beans. I've already provided a recipe for Asparagus with Ginger Dressing but you could pitch the complicated dressing and just follow the instructions I've provided for cooking the asparagus, my favorite way, by boiling it for a few minutes in water (or a combination of water and white wine) and then dressing it with a little melted butter. With broccoli and green beans, I wash and trim the broccoli into manageable flowerettes and cut the stem ends off the green beans. Then I toss the vegetable in some madly boiling water, for only a few minutes, maybe two. Then I plunge the beans or broccoli into a bath of ice water to both stop the cooking and seal the nice green color. I like my vegetables a little crisp (much better than limp) so I don't cook them long. From the bath, I dry the vegetables thoroughly and if I'm preparing ahead, I hold the veggies in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until I'm ready to proceed. When ready to finish the dish, heat some olive oil in a skillet and add several smashed cloves of garlic. Let that cook for a minute or two but don't brown the garlic. When burned, garlic becomes bitter. Some cooks would leave the garlic in but I usually take it out at this point. Then toss the reserved broccoli or green beans into the hot oil just long enough to reheat them and flavor them with the garlic oil already in the skillet. You can also use a few red pepper flakes in the oil/garlic mixture if you want your vegetables to have a little bite. After you've removed the vegetables from the garlic oil, they should go right to the table, especially broccoli, which can cool very quickly. If you want to flavor the green beans, add a little Dijon mustard to the oil, or use butter instead of the oil (in that case, I wouldn't use the garlic). You can also cook your vegetables - asparagus, broccoli or green beans - in the oven. Just put the raw veggies on a baking sheet and toss them with olive oil (add a little Parmesan cheese if you like) and bake them in the oven at about 400 degrees for a few minutes, or until the Parmesan has melted. And don't forget frozen peas. They're really easy, flash frozen at just the right time and prepared with the instructions on the package. If you want to experiment, cook the peas in chicken broth instead of water or throw a little chopped mint into the pot.

For carbohydrates, I like to use potatoes, especially those little red ones. I toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper and some herb, like thyme or rosemary, and roast them in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I usually cut the potatoes in half but if you want them to cook faster, cut them into quarters. You can test for doneness by sticking a fork into the potato. If the fork goes in easily, the potatoes are done. If you want them to be crisp, turn the potatoes over when they're about half cooked.

In the time of my childhood, almost all mothers cooked their vegetables in water until they were grey and limp. They stirred them with butter, and maybe a little cream, and served them. All the nice vitamins got tossed out with the water. So learn to blanch your vegetables (cooking them only a short time) first and them stir them into whatever other ingredients appeal to you. Better the vegetables should be a little undercooked than limp and grey.

These are my standard side dishes. In the future I'll provide some more complicated side dishes but this should help for a start. Stay tuned.

TOMATO ASPIC

I know. I know. Tomato aspic, you're saying. What a bore! That old, tasteless stuff my grandmother used to serve? I used to feel that way too, until I enjoyed this version served by my good friend, Barbara. When it was put in front of me, I thought, Oh; this old thing. But boy, was I surprised! Make this and you'll never think of tomato aspic as boring or ordinary ever again. I use this often as a first course, and sometimes even serve it at brunch.

BARBARA'S TOMATO ASPIC

serves 8 to 10



3 1/2 C Sacramento tomato juice (this is best, but any good tomato juice will do)

1 bay leaf

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped, plus 1/2 C diced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 3-oz package lemon jello

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 C white vinegar

salt, pepper, Tabasco, Worchestershire sauce and lemon juice to taste (Don't obsess about the amounts; just use a little of each)

1/2 C diced scallions

1. Line a 5-cup mold with plastic wrap and set aside. (This can be shallow or not so shallow; just use what you have, remembering that you're going to cut the aspic into squares when you're ready to serve it.)

2. Simmer 3 cups of the tomato juice in a medium saucepan with the bay leaf, the stalk of coarsely chopped celery and the onion for 1 hour, covered. Remove from the heat and add the lemon jello and all seasonings while the mixture is still hot.

3. Soften gelatin in a mixture of the remaining tomato juice and the vinegar. Add this to the hot tomato juiice mixture and  chill in the saucepan in the refrigerator.

4. When the mixture begins to congeal, add the diced celery and diced scallions. Pour the mixture into the prepared mold and chill until firm.

5. When ready to serve, cut the mold into 2 1/2 to 3 inch squares, using the plastic wrap to remove the servings as necesssary. Serve plain on a piece of Boston lettuce. Or if you're serving it for brunch, as I do, place the pieces on a platter and decorate with some parsley.

To do ahead: This can all be made one day ahead and saved, covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Just cut it into squares at the last minute.

CHICKEN SALAD A LA DANNY KAYE

For those of you who remember Danny Kaye, you'll probably think of him as a movie comedian from the 40's and 50's. You may not know that he was also a gourmet cook, famous for his chicken salad. Here's his recipe, quite an elaborate process that I've honestly never tried. But it should provide a very different chicken salad from the usual. The chicken is highly flavored by unexpected ingredients.

CHICKEN SALAD A LA DANNY KAYE

serves 4

For the chicken

1 chicken, about 3 1/2 lbs

1/2 C sliced carrot

1 C sliced onion

1 small leek, washed and left whole (not easy to do)

1 rib celery, washed and left whole

1 t salt

1/4 t black peppercorns

2 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

about 7 C tepid water, more if needed

For the dressing

2 T Dijon style mustard

1 t white wine vinegar

1 t finely chopped garlic

1/4 t salt

1 t freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t Tabasco

5 T extra virgin olive oil

For the garnish

1 dozen Boston lettuce leaves, cleaned

2 dozen fresh tarragon leaves

1. For the chicken: place the chicken, breast side down, in a tall narrow pot, so it fits snugly at the bottom. Add the remaining poaching ingredients. The chicken should be submerged and the water should extend about 1 inch above it. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and let boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and set it aside for the chicken to steep in the hot broth for 45 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside on a platter to cool for a few minutes. (The stock can be strained and frozen for up to 6 months, for use in soup.) Pick the meat from the chicken bones, discarding the skin, bones and fat. Shred the meat with your fingers, following the grain and pulling it into strips (He insists that the meat tastes better shredded than diced with a knife.)

3. For the dressing: mix together all ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken salad.

4. Add the chicken shreds to the dressing and toss well. Arrnage the Boston lettuce leaves in a "nest" around the periphery of a platter and spoon the tepid or room-temperature chicken salad into the center. Sprinkle with tarragon leaves and serve.

To do ahead: this can all be made a day in advance and kept, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.

A DIFFERENT DRESSING FOR CHICKEN SALAD

One of trhe best things about  growing up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland was great country food, made from very fresh, or ripe, ingredients that often left the garden only an hour or so before coming to the table. Eating at home was the best - we had a garden on a lot across the street and grew most of the vegetables we ate - but right behind that came those wonderful church suppers, great benefit affairs where everyone ate his fill, often at picnic tables outside, the dishes prepared by ladies of the church from their own recipes. I remember the chicken salad from these affairs, made with my friend Dan's Aunt Nola's boiled dressing. Mix this with equal parts store-bought mayonnaise and taste the great difference from just plain old mayo. This keeps indefinitely, covered and refrigerated and you can use it for chicken salad, egg salad, or in deviled-eggs. Yum!

AUNT NOLA'S BOILED DRESSING



Mix

3 t dry mustard

2/3 C sugar

1 T flour salt

Add

1/2 C cider vinegar

Blend in

2 well-beaten eggs

Cook the combination in the top of a double boiler, stirring constantly, until thickened. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any lumps of undissolved flour. Beat with equal quantity of mayonnaise. 

CHICKEN SALAD

Once you've cooked your chicken breasts, you can now combine the meat with other ingredients to make your own version of chicken salad. My favorite recipe comes from Ina Garten who uses green grapes, green celery and green tarragon for her flavors and contrasts. I always taste a grape in the grocery store to be sure they're sweet before I buy a bunch.This makes great salad.

CHICKEN SALAD VERONIQUE

serves 4



4 split (two whole)  chicken breasts, cooked according to your choice

1/2 C mayonnaise (use Hellmann's)

1 1/2 T chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1 C small diced celery, about 2 stalks

1 C green seedless grapes, cut in half.

Cut the chicken into 3/4 inch dice and place it in a bowl. Add the other ingredients, 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and toss thoroughly.

To make ahead: cooking the chicken (in whatever method you prefer) and making the salad can all be done a day ahead. The salad should be covered and refrigerated. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.

Note: If you want more crunch, add some slivered almonds. Or, if you want curried chicken salad, add some curry powder to the mayo (or whatever mixture you're using) and substitute raisins for the grapes.

COOKING CHICKEN BREASTS FOR CHICKEN SALAD

You can buy chicken salad at your favorite deli but it's so much better if you make your own. It takes a little time but it's so worth it. I've always thought chicken salad should be made only with chicken breasts and the recipes I provide call for these. But occasionally, when I've had a rotisseri chicken, and eaten the breasts, I sometimes make chicken salad out of the rest of the meat. Dark meat does have more flavor so if you're using only white meat, you need to add flavor to the salad. First, how to cook the breasts.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN BREASTS

I used to cook chicken breasts by poaching them in white wine, fresh lemon juice and fresh thyme. Poaching allows the chicken to cook slowly and keeping them in the poaching liquid while they cool helps keep the chicken moist. You might want to cut into a piece at the end of the cooking process, just to be sure the breasts are done. Although I use thyme, you can be fearless in your choice of herbs, remembering that whatever you use will provide most of the flavor. And remember that the wine you use (in all your recipes) should be just as good as the wine you drink.

POACHING (for one whole, or two pieces, boneless breasts of chicken)

1/2 C dry white wine

1/2 t salt

1 T black peppercorns (whole)

juice of half of a fresh lemon

5 sprigs thyme

In a large saucepan, combine the wine, salt, peppercorns, lemon juice and thyme sprigs. Add the chicken breast (two pieces) and enough water to cover. Heat the liquid to a boil, and skim off any scum that forms. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, if you're making chicken salad, allow the chicken to cool in the liquid for 45 minutes.

Note: be sure to add enough water to cover the chicken breasts completely and remember that this level will drop as the water and wine evaporate. If any part of the breasts comes out of the liquid during the cooking process, that part will be tougher (and more unsightly)  than the rest of the meat. .

ROASTING (for one whole or two pieces, skin on and bone in)

I've found that roasting breasts with skin-on and bone-in  provides better tasting meat and is also less expensive. The skin keeps the breasts moist and the bones provide more flavor. So starting with whole breasts, coat the outside all over with a little olive oil and sprinkle the breats with salt and pepper and  whatever herb you're using, in my case, finely chopped thyme. Roast the breasts on a baking sheet in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. (You can check doneness by just cutting into a piece to be sure it's no longer pink.) Allow the chicken to cool until you can handle it and then pull off the skin and cut the meat from the bones.

ANALYSIS OF PAST RECIPES THAT CAN BE MADE AHEAD

Since some of you have wanted food that could be done ahead, I’ve gone over the previous posts and show here all the recipes I’ve provided and whether they can be done ahead, partially ahead or not at all ahead. I’ve also listed the dates those recipes have been posted. I hope this is helpful.

Completely Ahead and Hold/Reheat

Bar Nuts                                                                                          Jan 16

Cold Curried Apple Soup                                                             Jan 17

Beef Stew                                                                                       Jan 18

Corn Pudding                                                                                 Jan 22

Asparagus with Ginger and Shallots                                            Jan 23

Macaroons with Ice Cream                                                           Jan 24

Vinaigrette Dressing                                                                     Jan 25

Chicken Stew with Sausage                                                         Feb 1

Artichoke Squares                                                                         Feb 1

Corn Chowder                                                                                 Feb 3

Bloody Marys                                                                                  Feb 5

Country Style Sausage and Fried Apples                                   Feb 7

Fresh Fruit                                                                                      Feb 9

Lamb Stew with Prunes                                                                Feb 11

Tomato Pudding                                                                     Feb 13

Sweetheart Salad                                                                   Feb 14

Beef Bourguignon                                                                   Feb 16

Macaroni and Cheese (several recipes)                                Feb 17

Lasagna                                                                                  Feb 18

Easy Cheese Lasagna                                                           Feb 19

Vegetable Lasagna                                                                 Feb 19

Bert’s Tomato Sauce                                                              Feb 19

Olive Tapenade                                                                       Feb 24

Tiramisu                                                                                  Feb 26

Curried Cheese Spread                                                          Mar 3

Melon Carpaccio                                                                     Mar 4

Rice Krispie Squares                                                              Mar 5

Partially ahead

Bill Blass’s Meatloaf                                                                 Jan 20

Meatloaf           `                                                                         Jan 21

Chicken Cutlets                                                                         Jan 26

Chicken Curry Dinner                                                                Jan 27

M & J Egg Casserole                                                                Feb 6

Lemon Ginger Pork Roast                                                        Feb 12

Haricots Verts in Mustard Sauce                                             Feb 14

Chicken Cacciatore                                                                  Feb 25

Turkey Tetrazzini                                                                        Feb 27

Pineapple and Molasses Spareribs                                        Mar 2

Roast Loin of Pork with Fig Sauce                                          Mar 6

Cannot be Made Ahead

Hashed Browns                                                                      Feb 8

Sauteed Pork Chops                                                              Feb 21

Nick and Tony’s Penne with Vodka                                        Feb 22

Spaghetti Carbonara                                                               Feb 23

Veal (or Chicken) Marsala                                                      Feb 28

Saltimbocca                                                                            Mar 1