breakfast miso

Miso
Dashi
Lemongrass
Mandarin
Ginger
Brined tofu
Assorted mushrooms
Nori

Rice

grapefruit bruleé salad

Grapefruit
Bruleéd sugar crumbles
Rum
Salt

Pound Cake

crostini with collard pate~apples~halloumi

Nutty bread, buttered and toasted
Collard pate

• Collards
• Garlic, boiled
• White wine

Apple
Fried halloumi

• brined halloumi
• Flour
• Oil

winter soup with ajowan~pork belly~roasted almonds

Butternut squash
Carrot
Apple
Ajowan
Onion
White wine
Pork belly
Roasted Almonds

Spiced Wine Ice Cream

Combine in medium pot over high heat:

1 cup sweet red wine
1/2 cup jam or jelly (grape or any bramble berry flavor)
2 cinnamon sticks
several whole cloves
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 orange, sliced

Boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Strain and let cool until lukewarm.

In a separate pot, bring to a simmer:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean, if you have it)

Meanwhile, beat until smooth and pale yellow:

8 egg yolks

Slowly pour cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan and heat until 140˚F for 4 minutes, if you are concerned about undercooked eggs.

Slowly stir cooled wine mixture into cream mixture.

Churn in ice cream maker.

Almond Swirl Zucchini Bread

First, make the almond filling:

16 oz almond paste (2 cans)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

Beat all ingredients together until smooth and well mixed.

For zucchini bread batter:

3 cups white all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup shortening, melted

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini, drained

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour two loaf pans (8 x 4).

Mix flour salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Beat eggs, oil, shortening, both sugars, and vanilla extract. Add zucchini. Stir zucchini mixture into dry ingredients. 

 

Cover the bottom of each pan with about 1 inch of zucchini batter. Spread a layer of almond filling down the middle, leaving an inch of batter on either side. Cover with another layer of batter, about 1/2 inch thick. Follow diagram of cross section to make the almond swirl.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, covering top with foil if it begins to brown too much. 

Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

2 cups cream
1 oz white chocolate
8 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup blackberries


Combine cream, white chocolate, sugar, and cream cheese in heavy bottomed pot. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until white chocolate melts. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in blackberries and transfer to ice cream maker to process.

Duck Egg Ravioli

Fresh Egg Pasta:

2 3/4 cup wheat flour
4 eggs, room temperature

Place flour in processor. Add eggs. Using on/off turns, blend until clumps of moist dough form (do not process into ball). Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface; shape into ball. Knead until smooth, sprinkling lightly with flour if sticking, about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic. Let rest at room temperature at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Filling:
You have two options. You can mix all ingredients except for the duck eggs, fill the ravioli, then crack an egg into each ravioli. This is the "traditional" way to do it. However, this also results in REALLY HUGE ravioli. But it's also way cooler, in presentation and texture. So if you don't want REALLY HUGE ravioli, simply mix the duck egg into the filling. It will not be as thick, but it will still have the full flavor, if not the same texture or drama. 

Cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap. Set pasta machine to widest setting. Flatten 1 dough piece into rectangle; run through machine or roll out as thinly as possible with rolling pin. Cut into 2x2 inch squares. Fill each with 1 heaping teaspoon of filling mixture, top with second square, and tamp edges down with fork.

Coal Roasted Eggplant with Yogurt-Goat Cheese Sauce

General idea and procedure stolen from Bon Appetit Mag, Aug. 2013.

Eggplant:
Find some long tongs and solid hot pads.
Make fire.
Throw some whole eggplants in the coals.
Let them cook until the skins begin to flake off.
Remove, cool, and peel skins off. Lightly salt, and serve atop Yogurt-Goat Cheese sauce.

Yogurt-Goat Cheese Sauce:
Combine 1/2 cup greek yogurt and 4 oz. soft creamy goat cheese. Add salt to taste.
Alright, time for some unusual spices.
I'm not going to give amounts, because how much you use is really up to you, but start with 1/2 teaspoon of each if you are unsure. Toast carom seed (aka ajowain), asafoetida, and nigella seed (aka kalonji), until they become fragrant. Grind with mortar and pestle. Add to yogurt sauce. Add a bit of amchur powder. Taste. Adjust spices (or goat cheese/yogurt) as needed. Add a bit of milk if sauce is too thick (should be fairly thick). 

To serve, spread on platter, top with eggplant, and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with pita or roti.

Chilled Berry and Greek Yogurt Pie

Combine:
2 cups sugar cookie or Vanilla Wafer cookie crumbs, finely crushed or ground in food processor
1/2 cup butter, softened
When throughly mixed, press evenly into springform pan.
Bake in 350˚F oven for about 10 minutes. Let cool completely before proceeding.

Mix any combination of the following in medium saucepan over medium heat:
3 cups blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, huckleberries, or other sweet berries
Add:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
a few drops of almond extract
pinch of salt
Stir until sugar begins to dissolve.

Stir 2 packets of gelatin into 1/4 cup of water, and let sit for 30 seconds.
Add to berry mixture.
Cook briefly, stirring, until gelatin melts completely.
Stir in 2 cups greek yogurt (not fat free).

Pour berry mixture over prepared crust.
Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least two hours.

Serve topped with fresh berries and whipped cream or creme fraiche.