GERTRUDE'S BREAD PUDDING

Over the years, the owners of Gertrude's Restaurant have been very good to a charity called Moveable Feast where I once served as a member of their Board. They have always been very generous in giving us 50% of their income from our yearly event called Dining Out for Life. I've gotten to know the owners, the two Johns, as I think of them. There's John, the chef, who is the author of numerous cookbooks and his partner (now husband), John, who manages the business end of the enterprise.

One evening when I was having dinner in their restaurant and  moving blithely forward, as I tend to do, I had the temerity to invite them both for dinner. John the cook asked if he could bring dessert and I happily agreed. He brought Gertrude's famous bread pudding. Later, he gave me the recipe, in restaurant quantities: "...6 liters of milk , 3 pounds of sugar, 2 pounds of butter..." and so on. He laughed and suggested that I cut it into fourths for a dinner at home. Here, then, is John the cook's recipe for his memorable bread pudding.

GERTRUDE'S FAMOUS BREAD PUDDING

serves 6-8

 

For the pudding:

4 hard Kaiser rolls, chopped into medium-sized pieces

3/4 C milk

12-oz sugar

1/2 lb butter, softened

1 t vanilla

1/4 box of raisins

3 T dark rum

7 eggs, lightly beaten

 

For the caramel:

3/4 C sugar

some light corn syrup

water

 

Make the pudding:

1. Combine milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, raisins and rum in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through. Do not boil. Pour into a large bowl and add Kaiser rolls. Allow to sit overnight, covered and chilled, or for a few days.

 

Make the caramel:

1. Put sugar, a little corn syrup and a little water in a large saucepan and heat without disturbing until mixture begins to bubble. Stir with a fork until sugar is all dissolved and the mixture has turned brown. Pour into a soufflé dish.

 

2. Add beaten eggs to pudding mixture and mix well. Pour into soufflé dish. Bake in a 300 degree oven in a water bath for 45 minutes.

 

If you're uncomfortable with "a little corn syrup" and "a little water," just leave these ingredients out. You can make the caramel with just the sugar. However, when it has turned brown, you'll want to add just a "little" water in order to thin the caramel slightly. Just add the water and stir it in until the caramel loosens and is the right consistency for pouring. Be careful doing this as the caramel is very hot and when you add the water, the mixture will bubble up furiously.

JO'S PUMPKIN PIE

My extended family always had celebration dinners at my brother-in-law's farm that included Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Fourth of July, Labor Day and any other time we felt like celebrating...a birth, a graduation, a wedding or just a family reunion. The family extended to all my siblings, their husbands and wives and all their children. This could be quite a crowd and often as many as 25 or 30. In order to lighten the burden of cooking for my sister, everyone brought something. The food was pretty  traditional and any deviation outside the norm was eyed with a certain suspicion. I once tried to introduce a cranberry/apple/walnut pie but that was not a success. "Too strange," they said.

This pumpkin pie, however, was a family standard and was always served at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Its origins are lost in the family history but it's always been known as "Jo's Pie," a reference to my brother's wife, Joanna, who must have made it for its induction into our standards. So, here is an introduction to Jo's Pie.

JO'S PUMPKIN PIE

makes one 9-inch pie

 

uncooked pastry for one 9-inch pie

 

2 T butter

1 1/2 C canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 t ginger

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t mace

1 C milk

1/4 t cloves

2 eggs

1 T flour

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 t salt

 

1. Preheat oven to 450.

 

2. Melt butter and stir into pumpkin with spices. Beat eggs and stir with flour, sugars, salt and milk. Stir pumpkin mixture into egg mixture. Pour into prepared pie shell.

 

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for 45 minutes more.

CREME ANGLAISE

This custard is known by a variety of names: Crème Patissiere, Vanilla Custard, and Crème Anglaise. I remember trying to make this the first time, for an English Trifle to serve for dessert at a progressive dinner party for a friend who was moving to New York. The only saucepans I had then were aluminum and the custard turned an awful shade of green and curdled. I tried again, with the same result. Finally, irritated and angry, I went to the market and bought some instant vanilla pudding. It wasn't the same but it sufficed (mainly because the guests had so much fun before dessert that they couldn't even taste the Trifle!)

You can use this wherever pasty cream is necessary, in trifle or tarts, as filling in napoleons or Italian pasty. It's easy to make and because this one contains flour, the custard does not run the risk of curdling.

CREME ANGLAISE

 

6 large egg yolks

1/2 C superfine sugar

3T flour

1 C whole milk

1 C heavy cream

2 t vanilla (use "real" vanilla, not extract; it makes a big difference

 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Mix in flour and set aside. In a heavy bottomed saucepan (not aluminum!) combine milk and cream and place over medium high heat until steaming. Pour mixture into bowl with yolks and whisk frantically (to avoid scrambled eggs) until smooth. Pour mixture back into saucepan and place over medium low heat. Whisk gently until thickened to a soft custard, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat an whisk in vanilla.

 

2. Cool custard by pouring into a bowl set in a basin of cold water. Rinse a sheet of parchment paper under water, wring it out, and place directly on the surface of the custard to prevent skin from forming. You could also use plastic wrap.

FRESH FIG TART WITH ROSEMARY CORNMEAL CRUST AND LEMON MASCARPONE CREAM

The first time I made this dessert, I had invited three friends for dinner. When one of them accepted my invitation he didn't know he was double-booked, so the guest of honor didn't show. No matter. The three of us got to enjoy this delicious tart all to ourselves.

This tart doesn't depend on a cooked custard for that wonderful creamy texture. It uses mascarpone cheese and sour cream instead. Because this is a savory tart, instead of the traditional sweet one, it can be a dessert and cheese course all in one. Make this in summer, when you can get fresh, ripe figs.

 

FRESH FIG TART WITH ROSEMARY CORNMEAL CRUST

AND LEMON MASCARPONE CREAM

serves 6

 

For the curst:

 

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C yellow cornmeal (not stone ground)

1 T sugar

1/4 t salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary

4-5 T ice water

 

For the filling:

1/3 C sour cream

1 C mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

3/4 C sugar

1 1/2 t finely grated lemon zest

1/8 t salt

2 t red currant jelly

1 T honey

1 1/2 lb fresh figs

 

Make the curst:

1. Pulse together the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter and rosemary and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-sized) lumps. Drizzle evenly with 4 T of ice water and pulse until just incorporated.

 

2. Gently squeeze a small handful of the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add more water, 1/2 T at a time pulsing after each addition and continuing to test.

 

3. With floured fingers, press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of a 10-inch round tart pan, making it as uniformly thick as possible. Smooth dough with a small offset metal spatula or back of a spoon (floured if necessary), then roll a rolling pin over top of pan to trim dough flush with rim. Chill crust until firm, about 30 minutes.

 

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

5. Bake crust in middle of oven until center and edges are golden, 25-30 minutes. (Don't worry if bottom of crust cracks.) Cool in pan on rack.

 

Prepare filling and assemble:

1. Whisk together sour cream, mascarpone, sugar, zest and salt in a bowl.

 

2. Heat jelly and honey in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, whisking, until jelly is melted, about 4 minutes, then cool glaze slightly.

 

3. Spread mascarpone cream in shell. Cut figs lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices and arrange decoratively over cream. Brush figs with honey glaze.

 

4. When ready to serve, remove side of tart pan and cut tart into wedges.

 

Note: crust and filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Tart can be assembled 2 hours ahead and kept, loosely covered, at room temperature. (Or it can be kept for longer, chilled. Allow to return to room temperature before serving.)

THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE EVER!

When I lived in New York, I used to go for lunch to the diner around the corner, often with my national sales manager, Posey. My favorite lunch was a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with French fries or potato chips and lemon meringue pie. So bad for me! But I walked many blocks on each end of a subway ride to get to work and weighed a lot less in those days. But I loved the combination so much - and knew it was so bad - that I saved it for special occasions. On my last day with the company, Posey took me to lunch at the diner and when it came time for dessert, the waiter brought me a whole lemon meringue pie with a lighted birthday candle stuck in the middle. Mistaking my departure for a birthday celebration, the whole restaurant sang "Happy Birthday" for me.

Later, when I had more time to cook than I  had in New York, I tried making a lemon meringue pie and found that it's not so easy; there are lots of steps. This recipe describes how to keep the meringue from coming away from the edge of the crust and how to prevent "weeping," that tired look that meringue has had when it's been around too long. Follow these instructions and I can assure you a successful pie. Eat your heart out, Martha Stewart!

Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. Don't even think of using that bottled stuff.

1. Have ready 1 pie crust in a pie plate, cooked and thoroughly cooled. You can use the Pillsbury one, cooked as per the instructions on the box. But homemade dough is much better.

2. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

3. Whisk thoroughly in a medium saucepan:

1 1/4 C sugar
1/3 C cornstarch
1/8 t salt

4. Whisk in, blending well:

1 1/2 C water
1/2 C strained fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
2-3 t grated lemon zest

5. Whisk in until no yellow streaks remain:

4 large eggs.

6. Add 2-3 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

7. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then cook for 1 minute. The filling should be very thick. Pour the filling into the pie crust and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface. (You need to keep the filling warm so that it will help to cook the meringue when it goes on top. This prevents the meringue from separating from the edges of the crust.)

8. Immediately prepare soft meringue topping: in a very small saucepan, or heatproof 3-cup measure, thoroughly mix:

1 T cornstarch
1 T sugar 

9, Gradually stir in, making a smooth, runny paste: 1/3 C water.

10. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring briskly all the while, then boil for 15 seconds. Remove this thick, translucent paste from the heat and cover with a lid or saucer. In a clean, grease-free glass or metal bowl, beat on medium speed until foamy:

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

11. Add and beat until soft but definite peaks form:

1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t cream of tartar

12. Very gradually beat in:

1/2 C sugar, preferably superfine.

13. Beat on high speed until the peaks are very stiff and glossy but not dry. Reduce the speed to very low and beat in the cornstarch paste 1 T at a time. When all the paste is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat for 10 seconds. (The paste keeps the pie from "weeping.")

14. Immediately remove the plastic wrap from the hot pie filling and spread the meringue over the filling, being careful to anchor the filling to the edge of the pie crust all the way around. If you like, make decorative peaks in the meringue by lifting up the spoon used for filling.

15. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Let it cool completely on a rack and then refrigerate.

The pie can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored, chilled. Serve chilled or at room temperature.


 

TOBY'S CRANBERRY PIE

Since she moved out of town, I haven't seen Toby very often. Still, I think of her as a friend from her days in Baltimore, and hear from her each Christmas, when we exchange cards and bring each other up to date for the last twelve months.

This crustless pie of hers is very easy to make and the tartness of the cranberries makes a lovely contrast to the crunch of walnuts. Don't worry about it falling apart because there is no crust. It all comes together in the baking. Now, whenever I serve this pie - I make it every year at Christmas - Toby is here with me.

TOBY'S CRANBERRY PIE

serves 6-8

 

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1/2 C  packed light brown sugar

1 T grated orange zest

1 t ground cinnamon

3/4 C coarsely chopped walnuts

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

1 stick (1/2 C) unsalted butter, melted

1 C granulated sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 C sour cream

1 C all-purpose flour

 

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate.

 

2. Place the cranberries in a bowl and toss them with the brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and walnuts until evenly mixed. Spread the mixture out evenly in the prepared pie plate.

 

3. Whisk the eggs together in a mixing bowl. Beat in the butter, sugar, vanilla, and sour cream until blended. Gradually stir in the flour and mix until smooth. Pour evenly over the cranberries in the pie plate.

 

4. Bake the pie until the fruit is bubbling and it is browned on top, 55-60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

BASIC PATE BRISEE

Just as everyone needs a basic recipe for pie dough, so should you have one for tart dough as well. They're slightly different. Further, the tart dough can be made with sugar for a sweet tart, or infused with some herb, like rosemary, for a savory one. Here's a basic recipe.

 

 

BASIC PATE BRISEE

makes one tart shell

 

 

1 1/4 C all purpose flour

3/4 stick (6 T) cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits

2 T cold vegetable shortening (use Crisco)

1/4 t salt

1 T sugar

2 T ice water, plus additional, as needed

 

1. Blend together flour, sugar, salt, butter and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in a food processor) just until incorporated.

 

2. Squeeze a small handful; if it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 t at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated. (If you overwork the mixture, the pastry will be tough).

 

3. Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and with the heel of your hand, smear the dough once or twice in a forward direction, to distribute the fat. Gather dough together with a scraper and press into a ball, the flatten into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap until firm, at least an hour.

 

4. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 9-10 inch round, approximately 1/8 inch thick. (Doing this between sheets of wax paper may be easier. Turn the paper as you roll in each direction so that you're always rolling away from you.) Lay the dough into the tart pan being careful not to stretch the dough. Lightly prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork and chill the dough in the pan for 30 minutes.

 

5. Preheat oven to 375.

 

6. Line tart shell with parchment paper or foil and fill it with pie weights or raw beans. Bake in middle of oven until pastry is pale golden along rim, 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden all over, 10 minutes more. If rim of shell begins to turn too brown, protect it with a roll of foil shaped to cover just that portion of the dough. Cool in the pan on a rack.

 

 

Variations:

 

Nigella Lawson likes to make her dough with a combination of flour and yellow cornmeal in a ratio of 3 flour to 1 cornmeal. She also uses her hands to press the dough onto the bottom and sides of the tart pan instead of rolling it out.

 

Add 1 1/2 finely chopped herb, like rosemary of thyme, for a savory tart.

VEGETABLE STRIPES

This recipe takes some time but it's worth it. I remember preparing this once for my doctor and his wife, both fairly sophisticated gourmands. They loved them. It certainly is impressive. Save it for special guests or to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas. In addition to its being very good, it's also very colorful on the plate.

VEGETABLE STRIPES

serves 6

 

18 small white pearl onions

12 Brussels sprouts

12 fresh or jarred kumquats (if jarred, rinse and drain them)

3 T unsalted butter

2 T packed dark brown sugar

12 fresh whole chestnuts, peeled

1 t crumbled dried rosemary leaves

1/2 t dried thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

 

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cut a small X in the root end of each onion, and drop the onions into the water. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again. Peel and reserve.

 

2. Bring another 2 quarts of water to a boil. Cut a small X in the root end of each Brussels sprout. Drop the sprouts into the water, reduce the heat and simmer until tender but firm, about 10 minutes. Remove the Brussels sprouts with a slotted spoon, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and drain. Set aside.

 

3. Add the kumquats to the same water and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

 

4. Melt 1 T of the butter in a skillet. Add reserved onions and sprinkle with 1 T of the brown sugar. Cook the onions over medium-high heat, tossing frequently, until they are caramelized (brown and shiny), for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the skillet and set aside.

 

5. Add 1 T of the butter to the skillet and add the Brussels sprouts. Sprinkle them with the remaining 1 T brown sugar. Cook the sprouts, tossing frequently, until they are caramelized, about 3 minutes.

 

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

7. In an 11 x 7-inch baking dish, arrange the onion, Brussels sprouts, kumquats and chestnut crosswise in rows of six, beginning and ending with the onions. Dot with the remaining 1 T butter, and sprinkle with the rosemary, thyme and salt and pepper. Bake until the vegetables are heated through and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

 

Note: if you hate peeling small onions, as I do, it's okay to use jarred ones. Just be sure to drain them and rinse them first and if pre-cooked, adjust the cooking time. I also use jarred chestnuts although the fresh ones are much better. You can also use this recipe for cooking Brussels sprouts when serving them alone.

 



POMMES PONT NEUF

These are very much like French fries, which, in order to be really good, must be cooked twice, once at a slow temperature to get the inside soft, and then again at high temperature to crisp up the outside. These are much easier and taste much better. They do take a lot of oil.

 

POMMES PONT NEUF

serves 4

 

 

Peel 3 lb. medium white potatoes. Square off ends, then cut lengthwise into 4-6 wedges. Pour vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat oil to 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, over medium high heat. Add potatoes (in batches, if necessary) and fry, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking together, until golden and tender when pierced with a skewer, 12-15 minutes. Transfer potatoes with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Season with salt to taste.

 

Note that when the potatoes go into the oil, the oil will lose temperature. Bring that back to 350 before adding more potatoes

COCONUT CAKE WITH LIME FILLING

I'm not much of a cake lover, especially of the regular, birthday-cake variety. I much prefer wet cakes, filled with gooey ingredients like applesauce or fruit. As a matter of fact, I always liked my  mother's cakes more when she considered them a failure, when they didn't rise sufficiently to meet her standards. Despite this aversion to cakes in general, this recipe looked interesting with its lime flavored, custard-like filling. A friend, who loved coconut cakes, declared this one the best ever.

Flush with having conquered the recipe the first time, I dared to contribute this cake to my family's traditional Easter dinner. It looked great and tasted even better but I didn't cook the icing long enough and by the time I had travelled 75 miles to the farm, the layers were sliding all over the place. Finally I had to stabilize the whole thing with borrowed toothpicks. It made for a great laugh among my nephews and nieces.

This cake takes some time to make but there's nothing complicated about it. Just be sure to cook the icing long enough for it to hold everything in place and cool the cake layers and icing thoroughly before proceeding further. That is, unless you want to give your guests a great laugh.

For the cake

1 C packed sweetened flaked coconut
2 1/4 C cake flour (not self-rising)
3 t double acting baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 C vegetable shortening (use Crisco) at room temperature
1 1/4 C sugar
3 large eggs, separated, the whites at room temperature
1 t vanilla
1 C whole milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cream of tartar

For the filling

3/4 C sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/4 C fresh lime juice
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 T unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C packed sweetened flaked coconut.

For the icing

1 1/2 C sugar
2 T light corn syrup
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 t cream of tartar
3/4 t vanilla

Make the cake

1. Line the bottoms of 2 greased 8 x 12-inch round cake pans with rounds of wax paper and grease and flour the pans, shaking out the excess flour. Spread the coconut in a jelly roll pan, toast it in a preheated 350 degree oven, stirring once or twice, for 7 minutes, or until it is golden, and let it cool.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the shortening, beat in 3/4 C sugar and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks, 1 at a time, and the vanilla and add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, and beating until the batter is smooth.

3. In another large bowl with the electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt until they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 1/2 C sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff glossy peaks.

4. Stir the coconut and 1/4 of the meringue into the batter to lighten it and then fold in the remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake the layers in the middle of the preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes, invert them onto the racks and let them cool completely.

Make the filling

1. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar, the cornstarch, the salt, the lime juice, the lemon juice, and the egg until the mixture is combined and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over moderately high heat, whisking constantly. (The mixture will thicken as it cooks.) Whisk in the butter and let the filling cool.

Assemble the cake

1. Split each cake layer in half horizontally with a long serrated knife and brush off any loose crumbs. On a cake plate, arrange 1 of the cake layers, cut side up and spread it with one third of the filling, leaving 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle the filling with 1/4 C of the coconut and top the coconut with another cake layer, cut side down. Continue to layer and fill the cake in the same manner with the remaining filling and coconut.

Make the icing

1. In a saucepan combine the sugar, the corn syrup and 1/3 C of water, bring the mixture to a boil, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to boil the syrup, uncovered, until it registers 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

2. While the syrup is boiling, in a heat-proof bowl with an electric mixer, beat the whites with a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar until they are frothy. As soon as the syrup reaches 240 degrees, add it to the whites in a thin, stream, continuing to beat the whites while the syrup is being added. Beat in the vanilla and beat the icing until the bowl is no longer hot. (If the icing is too stiff, beat in 1-2 hot water, or enough to form a fluffy, spreadable icing.)

3. Spread the icing over the side and top of the cake and cover the cake with the coconut. Garnish the cake with the lime slices, arranged decoratively around the edge of the cake plate.

ROASTED POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY

I love these potatoes with almost any meal but especially with beef. They're very easy to do and the taste (and smell) of rosemary gives the potatoes a nice little something extra. Be sure to roast them until they're nice and crisp; they taste best that way.

 

ROASTED POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY

serves 8

 

4 lb small red boiling potatoes

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 t chopped fresh rosemary leaves (or to taste; I use more)

1 t kosher salt

1/8 t freshly ground black pepper.

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

2. Peel potatoes and quarter lengthwise. In a 5 quart kettle half filled with boiling salted water, simmer potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander and let stand 10 minutes.

3. In a roasting pan just large enough to hold potatoes without crowding, toss potatoes with oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast potatoes in middle of oven, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until golden and crisp, about 1 1/2 hours.

Note: if you're in a hurry, you can just scrub the potatoes without peeling them and without the par-boiling. Just cut them into smaller pieces and toss with the other ingredients. Roast until they look crisp and can be easily poked with a fork. It won't take 1 1/2 hours; more like 30 minutes. They'll still be good but not as crisp as if you use the recipe.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

This is a great treat for a picnic. The sweetness of the onions is brought out by caramelizing them and the brown sugar just gives them more flavor. The vinegar keeps the whole thing from being too sweet.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

serves 4

 

3 T olive oil

3 medium sized yellow onions, sliced

1 T dark brown sugar

2 T red wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

a large hard roll or small loaf of bread

 

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy, cast-iron skillet. Add onions and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown (about 30 minutes). Add brown sugar, vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and cook 5 minutes more.

 

2. Slice off the top of the bread lengthwise and remove the spongy center. Spoon onions into the cavity in the bread. Replace the top and wrap the bread in a tea towel until ready to serve. Slice crosswise into sandwich-like pieces.





RACK OF LAMB

A rack of lamb is not inexpensive so you might want to save this for special occasions. When you do prepare it, I recommend the following recipe from Julia Child. Ask your butcher to "French" the racks, cutting away all the fat and leaving the rib bones exposed. (They're nice to get hold of if you want to pick the meat up, Renaissance style, or you can cover them with those fancy little colored paper hats for a spectacular presentation.) Each rack contains 7 chops but Julia likes to have more than necessary. She recommends 3 racks for 6 people

RACK OF LAMB

serves 4-5

 

2 racks of lamb, 7 ribs and about 3 1/2 lb each, untrimmed (1 1/2 lb fully trimmed)

mustard coating (see recipe below)

1/2 C  crumbs from fresh, crustless, homemade-type white bread

2 T melted butter

 

1. Score the fat side of the racks lightly (making shallow crisscross knife marks). Leaving the rib ends free, paint the mustard mixture over the tops and sides of the racks. Fold a double strip of foil over the rib ends so they won't burn.

 

2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and set the rack in a roasting pan in the upper middle level. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes at 500 degrees to sear. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees, rapidly spread the  bread crumbs over the top fat, drizzle on the butter, and return to the oven. roast another 20 minutes, to rosy rare at an internal temperature of 125 degrees. The meat should be lightly springy when pressed.

 

3. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before carving one rib at a time, between the bones. Allow 2-3 ribs per person.

 

For the mustard sauce:

 

1/2 t salt

2 T Dijon mustard\

1 1/2 t fragrant ground rosemary, thyme or oregano

2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 C olive oil or peanut oil

 

1. Whisk together the mustard, herbs, lemon juice and then the oil, to make a mayonnaise-like cream.

 

 



BLOG INDEX

Phil’s Favorite Food

Blog Entries

Index by Category (as of August 18, 2013)

 

This is a list of recipes posted on Phil’s blog, Phil’s Favorite Food. Each recipe shows the date of posting so it will be easier to find. These can all be accessed and downloaded at philsfavoritefood.blogspot.com

 

 

Drinks

 

Bloody Marys                                                              Feb 5

Creamsicles                                                                Feb 5

The Authentic, Traditional Mint Julep                         May 2

Champagne Cocktail                                                  Jun 27

Pisco Sour                                                                  Aug 3

 

 

Hors d’Oeuvres

 

Bar Nuts (Phil’s Nuts)                                                 Jan 16

Roasted Eggplant Dip (for Chicken Curry)                Jan 30

Artichoke Squares                                                      Feb 1

Jim’s Olive Tapenade                                                 Feb 24

Curried Cheese Spread                                              Mar 3

Rice Krispie Squares                                                  Mar 5

Creamed Mushroom Bruschetta with Onions            May 10

Mexican Appetizer                                                      May 13

Cucumber Pickles with Cheese and Rye Bread        May 20

Marinated Olives                                                         May 21

Olive Tapenade                                                          May 22

Pate                                                                             May 23

Caviar with Cream Cheese                                        May 28

Gala Cocktail Dip                                                        Jun 9

David’s Artichokes                                                      Jun 13

 

 

 

Soup and First Courses

 

Cold Curried Apple Soup                                            Jan 17

Corn Chowder                                                            Feb 3

Melon Carpaccio                                                        Mar 4

Tomato Aspic                                                              Mar 13

Cold Tomato Soup with Cucumber and Melon          Mar 15

Easy Oysters Rockefeller                                          Mar 20

Minted Pea Soup                                                        Mar 22

Nancy Hernke’s Onion Soup                                      Mar 24

Watermelon Salad                                                      May 24

Senegalese Soup                                                        Jun 8

Pasta e Fagioli                                                Jun 11

Cold Asparagus, or Zucchini, Soup                            Jun 12

David’s Artichokes                                                      Jun 13

Red Pepper Soup                                                       Jun 14

Butternut Squash Soup with Star Anise and Shrimp  Jun 16

Gazpacho (five recipes)                                             Jul 2

Chilled Orange and Carrot Soup                                Jul 19

Lobster Bisque                                                            Jul 22

 

 

 

Salads and Dressings

 

Vinaigrette Dressing                                                    Jan 24

Ina Garten’s Green Salad Vinaigrette             Jan 24

Raita (for Chicken Curry Dinner)                               Jan 29

Sweetheart Salad                                                       Feb 14

The Best Caesar Salad Ever, No Kidding                  Mar 8

Chicken Salad Veronique                                           Mar 10

Aunt Nola’s Boiled Dressing                                       Mar 11

Chicken Salad a la Danny Kaye                                Mar 12

Peggy’s Sweet and Sour Dressing                             Mar 16

Cobb Salad                                                                 Mar 28

Watermelon Salad                                                      May 24

Smoked Turkey and Wild Rice Salad                                    Jun 17

Watermelon Salad                                                      Jul 19

Peanut Sauce                                                             Jul 20

Chiapperelli’s Italian Salad                                          Jul 24

Cucumber Salad                                                         Jul 26

Indian Salad Dressing                                                 Jul 27

Dilled Lobster, Avocado, Potato Salad                       Jul 31

Tarragon Salad                                                           Aug 1

 

 

 

Meat

 

Beef Stew                                                                   Jan 19

Bill Blass’s Meatloaf                                                    Jan 20

Meatloaf, Maple Glazed                                             Jan 21

Country Style Sausage and Fried Apples                  Feb 7

Moroccan Lamb Stew with Prunes                            Feb 11

Lemon and Ginger Pork Roast                                   Feb 12

Beef Bourguignon                                                       Feb 16

Sauteed Pork Chops                                                  Feb 21

Veal Marsala                                                               Feb 28

Saltimbocca                                                                Mar 1

Pineapple and Molasses Spareribs                            Mar 2

Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce                             Mar 6

Choucroute a l’Alsacienne                                          Mar 23

Dinah Shore’s Meatloaf                                              Apr 2

Chili                                                                             Apr 7

Hot Dogs (with Pate)                                                  May 29

Zesty Pork Stir Fry                                                     Jul 11

Pork w/Bourbon Soaked Apples, Prunes                   Aug 4

Osso Buco                                                                  Aug 5

Pork Tenderloin with Apples in Cider Sauce              Aug 6

Chicken and Turkey

 

Chicken Cutlets                                                          Jan 25

Chicken Curry                                                            Jan 26

Chicken Stew with Italian Sausage                            Feb 1

Chicken Cacciatore                                                    Feb 25

Chicken with White Wine and Tarragon                     Feb 25

Turkey Tetrazzini                                                        Feb 27

Chicken Marsala                                                         Feb 28

How to Cook Chicken, Roasting, Poaching               Mar 9

Chicken Marengo                                                       Mar 25

Curried Chicken and Shrimp                                      Mar 26

Grilled Chicken Breasts                                              Apr 9

Perfect Roast Chicken                                               May 11

Tropical Chicken Medley                                            Jul 12

Chicken Stuff                                                              Aug 7

Turkey Tetrazzini                                                        Aug 16

 

 

Seafood

 

Curried Chicken and Shrimp                                      Mar 26

Salmon Mousse with Dill Sauce                                 Apr 9

Mussels with Parsley and Garlic                                Apr 13

Crab Imperial                                                              Apr 17

Tartar Sauce, or Remoulade                                      Apr 18

Scallops with Leeks and Pernod                                May 3

Vitello Tonato                                                              Jul 23

All About Lobster                                                         Aug 8

George Perrier’s Crab Cakes with Shrimp                 Aug 9

Poached Salmon with Tarragon Sauce                     Aug 10

 

 

 

Eggs

 

M & J Egg Casserole                                                  Feb 6

Cheese Souffle                                                           May 8

Bacon and Egg Pie                                                     May 14

Sue Ray’s Breakfast Casserole                                 May 15

Breakfast Casserole                                                   May 16

Cowboy Christmas Breakfast                                    May 17

A Simple Frittata                                                         Jun 3

About Eggs                                                                 Aug

 

Side Dishes and Vegetables

 

Corn Pudding                                                              Jan 22

Asparagus                                                                   Jan 23

Hashed Browns                                                          Feb 8

Tomato Pudding                                                         Feb 13

Haricots Verts in Mustard Sauce                                Feb 14

A Riff on Side Dishes                                                 Mar 14

Scalloped Potatoes (Gratin)                                       Mar 19

Fennel Potato Gratin                                                   Mar 19

Chunky Applesauce                                                   Mar 21

Comfort Carrots                                                          Mar 29

Barb’s Baked Mushrooms                                          Mar 30

Succotash                                                                   Mar 31

Brussels Sprouts                                                         Apr  1

Another Corn Pudding                                                Apr 12

Broiled Tomatoes                                                        Apr 15

Peperoni                                                                      Apr 20

Sweet Potato Spears, Molasses and Horseradish     Apr 23

Cooking Sweet Corn                                                  Jun 7

Fresh Peas and New Potatoes                                   Jun 10

Creamed Corn with Onions                                        Jul 1

Tomato Basil Cheese Tart                                          Jul 8

Another Tomato Tart                                                  Jul 9

Baked Lima Beans with Pears                                   Jul 14

Haricots Vert (String Beans)                                       Jul 15

Zucchini Tian with Curried Bread Crumbs                 Aug 11

Zucchini Mushroom Pasta Pie                                   Aug 15

Eggplant Souffle with Red Pepper Sauce et al.         Aug 18

 

 

 

Bread, Rice and Pasta

 

Basmati Rice (for Chicken Curry)                              Jan 28

Nann (for Chicken Curry)                                           Jan 29

Classic Macaroni and Cheese                                    Feb 17

Barb’s Mac and Cheese                                             Feb 17

Ina Garten’s Mac and Cheese                                    Feb 17

Mark Bittman’s Mac and Cheese                               Feb 17

Giada de Laurentiis’s Mac and Cheese                      Feb 17

The Ultimate Mac and  Cheese                                  Feb 17

Lasagna with Sausage                                                Feb 18

Easy Cheese Lasagna (Weight Watchers)                Feb 19

Bert’s Vegetable Lasagna                                           Feb 19

Bert’s Tomato Basil Sauce                                         Feb 19

Nick and Tony’s Penne with Vodka                           Feb 22

Spaghetti Carbonara                                                   Feb 23

Noodles with Carrots and  Dill                        Mar 27

Wild Mushroom Lasagna                                            Apr 3

Pasta with Four Cheeses                                            Apr 10

Jenny’s Keugel                                                           Apr 11

Baked Rice                                                                 May 4

Pan Bagnat (sandwich)                                              Jul 5

Basic Pest Sauce, Pasta with Pesto                          Jul 18

Pasta with Broccoli                                                     Aug 12

Fettuccini Alfredo                                                        Aug 13

Fred’s Pasta with Vodka                                             Aug 14

Zucchini Mushroom Pasta Pie                                   Aug 15

Dessert

 

Macaroons with Ice Cream                                        Jan 24

Cardamom Pound Cake (for Chicken Curry)                        Jan 31

Fresh Fruit                                                                   Feb 9

Tiramisu                                                                      Feb 26

Pistachio-Crusted Cheesecake                                  Mar 18

Warm Fruit Compote                                                  Apr 4

Alexander’s Apple Cake                                             Apr 5

Apple Brown Betty                                                      Apr 6

Chocolate Amaretti Cake                                           Apr 8

Sweet Potato Pie                                                        Apr 12

Ginger Pound Cake                                                    Apr 14

Sableuse                                                                     Apr 16

Pie Crust, Foolproof                                                    Apr 21

Derby Pie                                                                    Apr 22

Grandmother’s Key Lime Pie                                     Apr 24

Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart                                   Apr 25

Cherry Tortoni                                                             Apr 26

Chocolate Flan                                                            Apr 30

Pernod Flan                                                                May 1

Uncle Dutch’s Pineapple Pudding                              May 5

Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies                                   May 6

$1000 Peanut Brittle Cookies                                     May 7

Rum Raisin Rice Pudding                                          May 9

Strawberry Short Cake                                               May 12

Hummingbird Cake                                                    May 25

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies                              Jun 15

Oatmeal Pecan Cranberry Cookies                           Jun 18

Strawberries Romanoff                                              Jun 20

Summer Pudding                                                        Jun 26

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar                           Jun 28

Oranges in Marsala                                                    Jun 29

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake                               Jul 3

Chocolate Macrons                                                    Jul 10

April Fool                                                                     Jul 16

French Macaons                                                         Jul 25

 

 

 

 

Other

 

Condiments for Chicken Curry Dinner                       Jan 28

How to Hard Boil Eggs                                               Feb 6

How to Segment Fruit                                                 Feb 9

Hints for Making Brunch Easier                                 Feb 10

Giada’s Bechemal Sauce                                           Feb 17

To Do Ahead                                                               Mar 8

Mom’s Pancakes                                                        Apr 19

A Riff on a Dinner Party                                             May 24

Green Tomato Marmalade                                         Jul 17

Spiced Vinegar                                                           Jul 28

A Pause for History                                                    Jul 30

Mom’s Buckwheat Pancakes                                     Aug 17