Bagna Cauda

from Bon Appétit | December 1992

Literally translated as "hot bath," this dipping sauce for vegetables often appears in many Italian homes as part of the Christmas Eve buffet. Although cardoons (an edible thistle related to the artichoke but resembling celery) are traditional, celery makes a fine substitute and any combination of vegetables will do. In Italy, the routine goes like this: Vegetable pieces are dipped into the sauce (a fondue-style fork will help) and then eaten, with a slice of bread held underneath to catch the drippings. Once the bread is soaked with sauce, it's eaten, too. Then everyone starts over. It's fun for a party appetizer no matter where you live.

Serves 6.

3/4 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 anchovy fillets
6 large garlic cloves, chopped

Assorted fresh vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1-pound loaf crusty Italian or French bread, cutinto 2-inch sections

Blend oil, butter, anchovies and garlic in processor until smooth. Transfer oil mixture to heavy medium saucepan. Cook over low heat 15 minutes, stirring, occasionally. (Sauce will separate.) Season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce into fondue pot or other flameproof casserole. Set pot over alcohol burner or gas table burner to keep warm. Serve with vegetables and bread.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

Summer Panzanella

- serves 2 -

Adapted from Saveur.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 of a baguette, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Handful of basil, chopped
Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven the 350°F. Melt the butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Pour in half of the olive oil, and let it warm for a minute. Turn off the heat, add the garlic and bread cubes. Toss until combined. Then place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, tossing the cubes every 5 minutes or so.

2. Combine the chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and the other half of the oil. Stir until combined.

3. Add the bread to the bowl, sprinkle with the basil, and season with salt and pepper.

Thai Beef Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce

- serves 6 -

Ingredients

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons Sriracha

For the filling:
1 pound ground chuck (80% lean)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped Thai chilis
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch of Thai basil
12 wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Procedure

1. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.

2. In a large bowl, gently combine the ground chuck with the rest of the filling ingredients.

3. Shape a tablespoon of the filling into a small log. Wrap 1 basil leaf around the beef and thread onto a skewer. Repeat until all of the filling is gone.

4. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly over the charcoal grate.

5. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Grill the rolls until the filling is fully cooked and slightly firm, about 6 to 8 minutes, turning once during cooking. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

1 Sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 Medium-sized heirloom tomatoes
1 egg, beaten
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry sheet on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly-golden.

While the puff pastry is baking, cut off the tops of the tomatoes, seed and slice. You can slice them into rounds or half moons, depending on the shape of the tomato.

Remove the puff pastry from the oven and let cool, but keep oven on. When cool, arrange tomatoes on the pastry, drizzle with olive and sprinkle with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Place back in the oven for five minutes to heat the tomatoes. Drizzle again with olive oil and finish with fleur de sel. Serves four.

Dak Dori Tang - (Korean Simmered Chicken)

Ingredients

Seasoning paste:

4 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon pure toasted sesame seed oil
2 tablespoon fine or medium ground red chile pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 inch section of fresh ginger, peeled
3 tablespoon water

Pot Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken thigh, boneless and skinless*
4 medium potatoes
1 large carrot
1 large white or yellow onion, peeled
6 to 9 cloves garlic, peeled
4 fresh whole jalapeño, red chili pepper, or green chili pepper (one type according to desired heat level)
1 1/2 tablespoon Korean refined cooking wine
1 cup water

* Substitute or combine: sectioned wings, breast, or legs

Directions:

Seasoning Paste

Place water, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger into a blender and blend into a liquid. Pour into a small mixing bowl.
Add the rest of the paste ingredients and mix well.
Let stand at least fifteen minutes.

Prepare chicken and vegetables:

Cut the onion in half from top to bottom, then cut each section in half, also from top to bottom, repeat for each quarter section.
Cube the carrot and potato into roughly 1 inch cubes.
Slice the garlic cloves in half from top to bottom
Slice the peppers in half from top to bottom.(use or discard seeds as you wish)
Cut the chicken into 2 inch by 2 inch pieces.

Cooking:

Place all ingredients, including seasoning paste, in a large lidded non-stick pot and mix well.
Over high heat, bring the liquid to a boil.
Cover pot and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for another fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with Korean sticky rice and ban chan.

Note for sectioned wings: No adjustment needed.
Note for breast meat: Increase water by 1/8 cup.
Note for whole legs: Increase water by 1/3 cup and adjust cooking times: medium heat add five minutes/simmer add ten minutes.

Kheema

Ingredients

1 lb ground meat/Kheema (chicken/mutton)
2 medium potatoes, peeled & diced

1 tomato, diced
1 tbsp oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup plain yogurt, whisked
1 tsp lemon juice
6 multi-grain tortillas

Grind to fine paste
1/2 medium onion
1 bunch of coriander leaves
1" ginger
3 cloves of garlic
2-3 green chilies
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method
1. Marinate mince/kheema with ground paste, salt & yogurt.
2. Heat oil in a kadai/wok.
3. Add chopped onions. Saute till golden brown. Add tomatoes. Saute till cooked.
4. Add mince/kheema mixture. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add potatoes. Fry till the liquid is evaporated. Cook till mince is soft. Let it cool completely.