Lebanese Slaw

Ingredients

1 head white cabbage, thinly sliced
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 small head purple cabbage, thinly sliced, or 1 small bag purple cabbage
4-5 colorful radishes, sliced thin
1 small red onion, sliced in thin half-moons
Handful flat leaf parsley leaves, minced
Handful mint leaves, minced
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
Juice of 2 lemons
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons za'atar
2 teaspoons sumac
2 teaspoons crushed dried mint, or Mint Salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine all of the salad vegetables except the herbs in a beautiful salad bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continually. Add the za’atar, sumac, dried mint, and cayenne and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and any other spices to taste.

Finish the salad with the parsley and mint just before serving, giving it another stir.

Swiss Chard And Gruyere Quiche

Swiss Chard And Gruyere Quiche 

Exceptionally versatile, quiche takes well to all manner of fillings. Here, our meatless version combines Swiss chard with Gruyère cheese and is baked in a square pan instead of the usual round one. Cut the quiche into squares and serve as a main course for brunch, lunch or dinner with a tossed green salad or fresh fruit alongside.

Ingredients:

For the crust
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp. kosher salt
8 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 Tbs. cold water

For the filling:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves chopped
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
5 eggs
2 cups half-and-half or milk
1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 425*F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.

To make the crust, in a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse to blend. Scatter the butter and shortening over the top and pulse just until the mixture forms crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the water over the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough starts to come together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12 inch square about 1/4 inch thick. Fold the dough in half and transfer to a prepared baking pan. Unfold the dough and ease it into the pan, patting the dough gently into the corners and firmly into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any overhanging dough. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Bake until the crust is lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 375^F.

To make filling, in a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese evenly over the pastry shell. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk the half-and-half and thyme and season with salt and pepper, Stir in the onion, chard, and the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Pour the egg mixture into the pastry shell.

Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed and the crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool briefly. Cut the quiche into squares and serve warm. Serves 4 to 6.

Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen

Paleo Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

1. 1 cup zucchini, grated
2. 1 1/2 cups almond flour
3. 1/4 cup coconut flour
4. 1 tsp baking soda
5. 1/2 tsp salt
6. 3 eggs
7. 2 tbsp honey
8. 1 banana, mashed
9. 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
10. 2 tbsp almond butter
11. 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Squeeze any excess moisture out of the shredded zucchini. Whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, add the eggs, honey, banana, coconut oil, almond butter, and cinnamon. Use a hand blender to combine. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine. Fold in the shredded zucchini.
3. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the loaf is set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.

Notes

1. Servings: 1 loaf
2. Difficulty: Medium

Mascarpone Spinach Stuffed Salmon With Butter Crumb Topping

MASCARPONE SPINACH STUFFED SALMON FILLETS WITH BUTTER CRUMB TOPPING

Ingredients:

2-6 oz. bags fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temp. 
1/2 cup mascarpone, at room temp. 
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
8-6 oz. salmon fillets
Olive oil
3 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Place spinach in a large glass baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Poke one hole in plastic and microwave on HIGH power for 4 to 5 minutes or until wilted. Drain and squeeze dry and finely chop. Place in a bowl. Add cream cheese, mascarpone and nutmeg to the spinach and combine well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Cut one 3/4 inch deep, 2 1/2 inch long slit down center on the top side of each salmon fillet, forming a pocket for spinach mixture. Fill each slit with spinach, dividing equally among salmon fillets. Can be made 4 hours ahead to this point; cover and refrigerate.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Brush salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on prepared baking sheet. Mix breadcrumbs, melted butter and Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl. Top each salmon fillet with breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Bake salmon until opaque in center, about 12 minutes.    Serves 8

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Blondies

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE SWIRL BLONDIES

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 
1 cup golden brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, divided use
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans 
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
 2 T. granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan. Using mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla and beat to blend. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to the batter and combine well. Beat in pumpkin and stir in nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan—batter will be thick.

2. Whisk softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolks, cream and remaining 1/2 tsp. vanilla in a small bowl to blend. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoons atop batter. Using a small knife gently swirl cream cheese mixture into batter, creating a marbled pattern—do not over swirl. Bake until tester inserted in cent comes out clean and top if firm, about 35 minutes.

Tip: These are great served with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce              Serves 9.

Fig and Blue Cheese Tart

Ingredients

• 200g plain flour, plus a little extra for rolling pastry
• 100g plain wholemeal flour
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
• 175g cold butter
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , 150g diced into chunks
• 100g walnut
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , roughly chopped in a food processor
• 3 eggs
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , plus 2 yolks
• 400g shallot
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  
  

  
  

  
  
   leaves, plus extra to decorate
• 200ml pot crème fraîche
• 200ml double cream
• 140g blue cheese - Danish Blue is a good vegetarian one
• 3-4 figs
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  , halved, cut sides brushed with a little oil

Method

1. First make the pastry. Tip the flours into a food processor with ½ tsp salt and the diced butter. Pulse until you can’t feel any lumps, then tip in the walnuts. Mix the egg yolks with 3 tbsp cold water, then dribble this into the machine while you pulse again until the pastry comes together. Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface, lightly bring it together into a ball, then roll out and line a deep 20-23cm tart tin with overhang. The pastry may crack, but just patch it back together, then cover and chill for 1 hr.
2. To make the filling, melt the remaining butter in a large pan, then add the shallots and soften for 10-15 mins, until golden and squishy. Stir in the thyme for 1 min, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs in a jug with the crème fraîche and cream. Crumble in the cheese and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Blind bake the pastry for 20 mins, remove the baking beans and paper, then bake for a further 15-20 mins until golden and sandy. Reduce the oven temp to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the cooled onions to the cream mixture and pour into the case. Sit the fig halves on top, cut side up, sprinkle with some more thyme and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr-1hr 10 mins until the tart is browning and has a slight wobble – the cheese middle will firm up on sitting. Cool for about 15-20 mins, then remove from tin and serve with a green salad.

Persimmon Walnut Loaf

 
Persimmon Walnut Loaf

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room 
    temperature

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

4 or 5 ripe fufu or hachiya persimmons, peeled and 
    pureed in a blender

1/4 cup of your favorite whiskey

2 cups walnuts, roasted and roughly chopped.

2 cups dried apricots or dried cherries, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Line the buttered pans with parchment paper, to cover the bottom and long sides of the pan. This will keep the raisins from sticking to the sides of the pan.

Sift together the flour, salt, soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and mace in a large mixing bowl. Scrape the persimmon flesh into a blender and process on a medium speed for 30–60 seconds, until it’s a smooth purée. Scrape the persimmon pulp into a second large bowl and stir in the sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, bourbon, walnuts, and dried fruit. When the wet ingredients are fully combined, gently fold in the dry ingredients to the mixture, ½ cup at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 65–75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. This persimmon bread is very moist and will keep well for several days in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes two 9- by 5-inch loaves or 5 mini loaves. Start to finish: 2 hours.

Wonder Soup

Wonder Soup

Ingredients

½ head of cabbage, chopped

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup white or yellow onion, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

14 oz can basil, oregano, garlic diced tomatoes (optional, you can make this soup without tomatoes)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

few shakes of black pepper

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add celery, onions, bell peppers, and carrots.

Saute until slightly tender.

Stir in garlic.

Pour in chicken broth.

Stir in tomatoes and cabbage.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.

Cook until cabbage is tender.

Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt (if using)

Taste broth and adjust seasoning if needed.

Roasted Cauliflower With Ginger Chili Dip And Sugar Snap Peas And Cooked Shrimp

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH GINGER 

CHILI DIP AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS 

AND COOKED SHRIMP

Ingredients:
Vegetables:
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, with any strings removed 
1 lb. cauliflower florets, trimmed to bite-size
2 T. grapeseed or vegetable oil
1 lb. extra-large cooked shrimp with tails on
1 large red or yellow bell pepper
Ginger Chili Dip:
1 T. rice vinegar
2 T. chili paste with garlic
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. Asian toasted sesame oil 
1 T. minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 T. sugar

Serves 6.

Directions:

1. Drop snap peas into a pot of boiling salted water and cook 1 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Chill until serving time.

2. For the dip, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving time and up to 36 hours. To serve, spoon dip into a serving bowl or hollowed out red or yellow pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss cauliflower with oil and arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly charred.

4. Arrange warm cauliflower and cool snap peas and shrimp on a platter; set the dip in the center or to the side.