My family doesn’t make too many all-chocolate cookies at Christmas, but we turn to this recipe (given to my sister and me by a high school friend) every few years for something different.

½ cup vegetable oil
4 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar. Blend in eggs, 1 at a time, until well mixed. Add vanilla. Stir flour, baking powder and salt into the oil mixture and stir until soft dough forms. Chill dough in the refrigerator for several hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place confectioners sugar in small bowl. For each cookie, drop a teaspoonful of dough into the sugar and roll into a small ball. Place balls of dough on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are puffy and dry to the touch. Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies.

This is my mother’s recipe, which she thinks came from her Uncle Leroy’s niece, Mana. When my mother and grandparents would visit Uncle Leroy’s family, Leroy’s sister, Aunt Lena, would always have a roll of the date and nut cookies in the freezer to bake and serve for company.

For dough:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Mix in vanilla, then egg. Gradually add dry ingredients. Chill dough in refrigerator until firm enough to roll out.

Filling:
7 ¼ ounces chopped dates
¼ cup sugar
Dash of salt
1/3 cup water
1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine all filling ingredients except nuts in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent filling from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and add nuts. Cool to room temperature.

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Roll each piece into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread half of cooled filling on each rectangle, leaving an inch border around all 4 edges. Starting from 1 of the 8-inch sides, roll each rectangle like a jellyroll. Wrap each roll in wax paper and refrigerate 1-2 hours until firm.
Remove rolls from refrigerator and cut each roll into slices 1/8-inch thick. Place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes approximately 2 ½ dozen cookies.

In 2 short years, these have become one of my favorite Christmas cookies because they are both easy and delicious. The original recipe (from Gourmet magazine) calls for dried cranberries; I prefer dried cherries. They might also be good with chopped dried apricots, but you lose the holiday red and green of cherries and pistachios.

1 ½ cups flour
½  teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
½ cup shelled pistachios (not dyed red)
1/3 cup dried cherries
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup decorative sugar (preferably coarse)

Stir together flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter, granulated sugar and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until dough just comes together in clumps; then mix pistachios and cherries. Gather and press dough together, then divide into 2 equal pieces. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper as an aid, form each piece of dough into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Square off long sides of each log to form a bar, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap until very firm, at least 2 hours.

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush egg all over 4 long sides of dough. Sprinkle decorative sugar on a separate sheet of parchment or wax paper and press sides of dough into the sugar, coating well. Slice dough crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices rotating dough after cutting to keep square shape.  (If dough gets too soft to slice, freeze dough briefly until firm.) Arrange cookies ½-inch apart on lined baking sheets. Bake cookies, switching positions of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, 15 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies from cookie sheets to racks and cool completely. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Serves 6
1 whole duck
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of Red Thai Curry Paste
1⁄3 cup fish sauce
1⁄3 cup white sugar
2 cans coconut milk, plus 1 can of water
1 8-ounce container sliced bamboo
1 10-ounce can lychees, peeled and deseeded
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 stalks of Thai basil, leaves removed
1 bunch of coriander with 1⁄3 cup leaves picked
6 cups cooked jasmine rice

Roast duck in 350-degree oven until legs are easily pulled off, at least 1 hour. Pick off all the meat and shred into bite-size portions. Set aside.

In a heavy-based frying pan over high heat, add oil and curry paste. Cook until all aromas come out of the paste, and it’s sizzling fiercely. Add the fish sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add the sugar, coconut milk, and water and bring to
a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Add the shredded duck, bamboo, lychees, and cherry tomatoes and heat through. Adjust seasoning. Stir the basil leaves through the curry and pour into a large bowl. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice and garnish fresh coriander leaves.

Jam Strip Cheesers
These are simple to make, and the addition of cream cheese gives them a richness that contrasts nicely with a tart jam-like red currant.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup butter, softened
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
Jam or jelly of your choice (I like red currant)

In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Gradually blend dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix well.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ½-inch thickness. Cut into 3-by-1-inch strips. Make a deep groove lengthwise down the center of each cookie with the handle of a knife, keeping ends closed. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Fill each groove with ½ teaspoon of jam or jelly. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes until delicately browned. Makes 1½ dozen cookies.

Serves 4
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
4 teaspoons garlic
4 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
4 teaspoons Thai curry powder
4 pounds steamed crabs, king or blue claw, quartered or halved
2 cans coconut milk
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup fish sauce
Fresh chilies, sliced
Picked coriander

In a wok or very large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the crab and toss in the curry seasoning briefly. Add the coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce. Turn heat on high, and toss the crabs until the coconut milk is reduced to a thick sauce. Garnish the crab with chili slices and coriander. Pile crabs onto plates, and serve with cold beer and extra napkins!

Serves 6
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 lamb shanks, meat removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced thinly  
4 tablespoons mild Indian curry paste
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 16-ounce can crushed or whole peeled tomatoes
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Pinch salt
Pinch white sugar
6 cups cooked basmati rice

Add oil to a heavy-bottom pot, and over medium-high heat, brown the lamb pieces. Add the onions and cook until they begin to brown and caramelize. Add the curry paste and cook for several minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, and carrots, and stir, checking the seasoning. (A pinch of salt and sugar can be added, if necessary.) Next, cover the pot and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until lamb is completely tender and sauce is somewhat reduced. Serve over cooked basmati rice and garnish with an optional side of mango chutney, poppadoms, and plain yogurt.

Serves 4
1 ounce vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
1⁄3 cup yellow curry paste
8 chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cans coconut milk, plus 1 can water or chicken stock
1⁄4 cup fish sauce
freshly squeezed lime juice
2-4 tablespoons sugar
4 cups cooked vermicelli rice noodles
2 cups bean sprouts
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Handful picked coriander leaves
Red chilies, sliced

Over medium-high heat, in a heavy-bottom pot or wok, add oil and onions. Cook onions until caramelized, add curry paste, and sauté until aromatic. Add cut chicken thighs and cook about 4 minutes, then add the coconut milk and water or stock. Add fish sauce and cook on medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Adjust seasoning with lime juice and sugar. Divide the cooked vermicelli noodles between 4 large bowls, pour the curry over the noodles evenly, dividing the cooked chicken. Garnish with bean sprouts, green onions, coriander, and slices of fresh chilies, and serve.

The best thing about this pie is that it calls for a commercial crust (find them in the baking aisle, often made from Oreo or other cookies) and real whipped cream from a can.  Should you choose to trouble yourself, you can grind about 30 chocolate wafer cookies with a half-cup cup of sugar and a stick of butter, melted, then press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. But your results will be far less perfect and probably no healthier.

3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
5 T cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, grated fine
½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2½  cups whole milk

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl, mix gently and set aside.  Mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and chocolate in a non-stick saucepan with a wooden spoon until well mixed.

Add the extracts to the milk, and add the first cup of milk in small increments, stirring constantly to keep the cornstarch from clumping.  When it’s all mixed well, pour in the remaining milk.

Cook on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until pudding boils; boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and put a couple of spoons of the mixture into egg yolks, stir well and return to pot. Return to a boil for 1 minute. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Top with whipped cream, which is a good camouflage and richness tamer.

½ small butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 small Vidalia onion, peeled and cut into eighths
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash, onion, brown sugar and olive oil in roasting pan. Toss lightly to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown and tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Turn ingredients with a spatula every 5 minutes to evenly brown.

In a large bowl, combine roasted squash with sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, feta, pine nuts and vinegar. Set aside.

Cut 1 sheet of puff pastry in half, length-wise. Cut the remaining sheet into ½-inch strips. Place strips around the perimeter of the 2 pastry shell halves to make a border. Brush both tart shells with egg mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes on greased cookie sheet. Remove and divide filling among shells evenly. Place tarts back in oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until golden brown or about 6 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Cooks.com provided guidance for this crunchy cucumber salad. Make sure you mix and serve it at the last minute to preserve its snap.

3-4 medium-sized Korean (or any variety) cucumbers, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Dash of black pepper
1 small Thai red hot pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Combine all ingredients except cucumber. Add cucumber when ready to serve. Serves 4.

When I Googled “choy sum” I found this easy recipe at exponentblog.blogspot.com based on a recipe from the blogger’s Aunt Katie. She’s right; this is delicious.

1 bunch choy sum
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 Thai chili peppers
Chop the choy sum stalks into thirds. Start a pot of boiling water and blanch the choy sum for about 3 minutes.  Quickly transfer the choy sum to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
 
Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Smash garlic cloves and chop chili peppers (seed them if your tolerance to spicy heat is as pitifully weak as mine is) and add to oil until garlic is golden. Then, add choy sum and toss to coat with oil. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of each (or more to taste): soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce. Stir to combine and serve. Serves 4.

The marinade is derived from a hodgepodge of ingredients in my kitchen cabinets and refrigerator. Feel free to play with amounts or substitute other ingredients, such as fresh garlic and chilies for chili garlic sauce.

1 2-pound fillet of salmon (or several smaller pieces)

Marinade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
2-inch piece of fresh lemongrass, chopped
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander (optional)

Mix marinade ingredients in a dish large enough to hold the salmon. Add salmon, turning to coat both sides. Cover dish with plastic wrap and let sit, refrigerated, for 30 minutes.
 
Remove salmon from marinade and grill, approximately 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness of fish. Serves 4 generously.

4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup self-rising flour

Filling
1 cup mascarpone
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
¾ cup heavy whipping cream

Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 cinnamon quill
2 star anise
4 cloves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Reserve ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, beat eggs and sugar for about 7 minutes or until thick and creamy. Combine flours and sift into egg mixture, using metal spoon to gently fold together. Spoon into greased 9-inch square cake pan and bake for about 15 to 25 minutes until springy to the touch. Place on wire rack and cool to room temperature. 

For the filling, combine all ingredients, except for the whipped cream, in bowl and beat. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form, then fold into the mascarpone pumpkin filling. Set aside.

For the syrup, bring all ingredients to a boil and reduce to syrup consistency.  Strain out all spices.

Split cooled cake horizontally into 3 layers. Drizzle bottom layer with 1/3 of hot syrup and spread with half of mascarpone filling. Top with middle layer. Drizzle with half of remaining syrup and rest of mascarpone filling. Replace top layer and drizzle with remaining syrup. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. Serves 6-8.

1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and deseeded
1/4 cup butter
6 sprigs thyme
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 ounce balsamic vinegar
3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
12 ounces baby arugula

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash, cut-side up, in roasting pan. Put 1/8 cup butter and 3 sprigs of thyme in each squash half. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.

Spread pecans on sheet tray and put in oven with squash until toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

Whisk together mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Crumble goat cheese over arugula and top with nuts. Shred spaghetti squash over nuts and toss to combine. Drizzle with dressing, toss to coat, and serve with freshly cracked pepper. Serves 4-6.

2 cups peeled and seeded acorn squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 ounces unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces shaved pancetta
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup white wine
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

In saute pan, toss squash with 1 ounce butter until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in 350-degree oven until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Blanch peas in boiling salted water. Quickly remove and place in ice-water bath. Drain and set aside.

In sauce pot, combine olive oil, pancetta, shallots and garlic. Add rice and stir for 3 minutes or until toasted and translucent. Add 1 cup of stock. Stir over medium heat until stock is absorbed. Add the next 2 cups of stock, 1 at a time. Add white wine and grated Parmesan cheese. The rice should be creamy, like oatmeal. 

In small sauce pan, heat remaining 2 ounces of butter until bubbles begin to subside and butter turns brown. Remove from heat. Add sage and several drops of lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add acorn squash and peas to risotto. Add stock as needed to reach oatmeal consistency.

Spoon risotto into warm bowls. Drizzle warm brown butter over risotto and top with shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Although I didn’t tackle my idea of basil sorbet or garlic ice cream, this recipe, originally published in Gourmet magazine, plays on the idea of making a savory course feel like a dessert.

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)
1 tablespoon hot water
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Vidalia or sweet onion
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece Kirby cucumber, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (preferably “reserva”)
1 tablespoon orujo (Spanish clear brandy), grappa or aquavit
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Andalusian hojiblanca)

Soften gelatin in hot water 1 minute. Mash garlic to a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife). Blend garlic paste, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, vinegar, orujo and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add oil and gelatin mixture with motor running, then force purée through a sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Discard solids. Chill until cold, about 1 hour, then freeze in ice cream maker. Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Serves 6 as a first course.

Serves 4-6
¼ cup balsamic vinegar      
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard                              
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil    
12 figs, halved                                                        
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled                    
12 ounces baby arugula  
Freshly ground pepper                      

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and olive oil. Place in the refrigerator. Prepare all salad ingredients. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss lightly. Drizzle dressing over salad. Toss gently and top with freshly ground black pepper.

Manhattan Marinated Cherries
1/4 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon sweet vermouth
Dash bitters
1/2 cup dried cherries (I like Rainiers, available at Trader Joe’s)

Combine cherries with the other ingedients and let sit until cherries are soft and plump, approximately 30 minutes. Drain cherries, reserving marinade. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Pineapple Layer
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Manhattan marinade
1 pound fresh pineapple cut into rings or small chunks
1/2 cup pecans, toasted

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place butter, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of the Manhattan marinade in an 11-inch cast-iron skillet, and put in oven until butter and sugar melt, about 7 to 10 minutes. Mix well.

Arrange the pineapple over the bottom of the skillet. If you’re using pineapple rings, you may wish to place the cherries or the pecans, rounded side down, in the center of the fruit, but feel free to make any arrangement of pineapple, pecans and cherries that suits you. Set skillet aside.

Cake
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup fresh or canned pineapple juice
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine ginger and pineapple juice in small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 3 minutes, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Drain ginger, reserving pineapple juice. When ginger is cool, mince slices into small pieces (ginger will be soft and will shred into smallish pieces easily). Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the dry mixture a little at a time, beating until well incorporated, and scraping down bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and the pineapple juice; beat well. Pour the batter over the pineapple layer and smooth the top.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (you may need to cover the top with foil to keep from browning too quickly) and until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake on a rack before turning out onto a serving plate. Serves 8 to 12.

You see these brownies everywhere from school bake sale tables to potlucks, but I like them regardless because they have a fudgy texture that’s hard to replicate. While making the buttercream icing I had the thought that these would be magic with marshmallow icing and chocolate glaze, a homey take on the Nabisco Pinwheel cookies of my youth. If you try the marshmallow, let me know how they turn out.

Mint Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh mint, chopped

Place chopped mint in a Pyrex glass measuring cup or heatproof bowl. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour boiling sugar syrup over mint and let steep 5 minutes. Pour syrup through sieve to separate mint. You should have approximately 1 1/2 cups mint syrup.

Chocolate Mint Syrup
1 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup mint syrup
1 cup hot water

Combine cocoa, sugar and salt in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1 cup mint syrup and 1 cup hot water until mixture is smooth. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir for three minutes longer. Remove from heat and let cool. You should have approximately 2 cups.

Brownies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Approximately 2 cups chocolate mint syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon. Gradually add eggs, 1 at a time, then flour and salt, then the chocolate mint syrup and the vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack. When cool, top with mint frosting and chocolate glaze (below). Wrap brownies in plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.

Mint Frosting
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons mint syrup

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add mint syrup until frosting reaches desired consistency. Spread on cooled brownies.

Chocolate Glaze
3 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate (You can use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate in the glaze, but I prefer the bitterness of unsweetened chocolate with the sweetness of the brownies.)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave or over low heat on top of the stove. Pour over frosting layer. Place brownies in the refrigerator for frosting and glaze to solidify. Serves 8 to 10 generously.

Serves 6
½ cup sugar
1 ounce water
1 ounce butter
6 to 7 figs, halved
1 prepared pie shell, trimmed to fit
8-inch sauté pan
Vanilla ice cream

Make caramel sauce by placing sugar and water in an 8-inch sauté pan. Warm over medium heat until the sugar begins to caramelize. As soon as the sugar has darkened to a mahogany color, add the butter. Add figs cut-side down into the caramel. Top the figs with the pastry and place in a preheated 350-degree oven. Remove when the pastry is brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Holding a plate in one hand and the sauté pan in the other, pour the pan mixture onto the plate, making sure that the tarte tatin is topped with the figs facing up on the plate. Cut the tart into quarters, top with a scoop of ice cream, and serve.

Serves 4
6 large figs, halved
¼ cup sugar              
2 ounces butter                            
4 slices brioche    
4 2-ounce pieces foie gras
1 cup baby lettuces
1 ounce extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces fig vincotto (can substitute with balsamic vinegar reduced to syrupy consistency)                               
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, brulee the figs by laying them on a cookie sheet, flesh-side up, and sprinkle with sugar. Place sheet under the broiler and carefully watch until the sugar caramelizes but does not burn. Remove immediately. 

Heat the butter in a large pan until melted, and fry the bread until evenly browned on each side. Remove and keep warm in low-temperature oven. In the same pan, turn the heat up and fry the foie gras until golden brown on each side. Place atop the fried bread. Place three fig slices atop the bread and foie gras. Garnish with a bundle of greens. Drizzle olive oil and vincotto. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve. 

Serves 6
½ cup apple juice
½  cup wildflower honey
20 ripe figs, halved
½ pound thinly sliced pancetta
12 large bamboo skewers

Combine apple juice and honey in a small sauce pot. Reduce over medium heat until it forms a syrupy consistency and set aside. Wrap each fig with a strip of pancetta, and secure onto a bamboo skewer.

Grill over a medium flame until pancetta has crisped and rendered (about 5 minutes). Brush with honey glaze and serve immediately.             

Coleslaw is so easy to make that it’s really not necessary to buy it from a deli. You can substitute a teaspoon of celery seed for the horseradish.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small head of green cabbage, shredded

Mix first 4 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add cabbage; mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 4.

This is a bit more complicated than the steamed clams we had in Ocean City, but not by much. You can also use this preparation for mussels.

3 dozen littleneck or other small clams, scrubbed
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup white wine

Place all ingredients in a large pot over medium-high heat and cook until clams begin to open, 8 to10 minutes.

Cracker meal keeps the fish crispy on the outside and moist within. It’s great for fried oysters as well.

1 cup cracker meal
2 eggs, beaten
4 6-ounce flounder fillets
3 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place cracker meal and eggs in separate dishes. Dip each flounder fillet into egg and then cracker meal, letting excess drip off. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with melted butter. Bake 8-10 minutes until crisp, brown and cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Serves 8

1 12-inch tart shell, greased
Pie pastry
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1¼ cups desiccated coconut Juice from 2 lemons
Grated zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup mint leaves roughly chopped
1 cup pineapple, diced
Juice of 1 lime      
Powdered sugar (optional)
1 cup crème fraiche or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with pie pastry, making sure there are no cracks or holes in the dough. Freeze the tart shell until pastry is hard.
For the filling, mix but do not froth the cream, sugar, eggs, coconut, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Press aluminum foil into the frozen tart shell and bake until firm and golden brown. Turn down oven to 250 degrees, pour filling into shell, and bake for one hour or until golden brown. Remove aluminum foil. (The center of the tart shell should not jiggle at all.) For the pineapple mixture, combine mint, pineapple, and lime juice in a bowl.

To serve, cut the cooled tart into slices and dust top with powdered sugar. Spoon a dollop of crème fraiche or whipped cream next to the tart, then top with a spoonful of pineapple mixture.

Serves 6

Pancakes
1¾ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder          
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ cup desiccated coconut (shredded but not sweetened)
Pinch of salt      
1 cup milk
1 cup coconut milk
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil or butter for cooking pancakes
4 eggs, whites separated from yolks

Syrup 
½ cup sugar
¼ cup passionfruit pulp
½ cup water
6 bananas, sliced in half lengthways Powdered sugar

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine all wet ingredients, except egg whites, in a separate bowl. In a third bowl, whip egg whites to medium-stiff peaks. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix lightly until just combined. Gently fold egg whites into the batter using a whisk to incorporate egg whites. (This helps to keep the egg whites intact, resulting in lighter pancakes.)

To make the syrup, combine sugar, passionfruit pulp, and water in a small saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes or until a syrupy consistency is reached. Cook pancakes on a griddle until golden. Stack the pancakes layered with banana slices, and top with passionfruit syrup. Dust the plates with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Serves 6

2 pounds lean pork, cut into 1½ inch cubes      
1 teaspoon kosher salt                              
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper            
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil                    
1 cup chopped onion                                  
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced red chili  
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1⁄2 cup kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
1 cup coconut milk
6 cups cooked jasmine rice Coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

Season pork pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pan until very hot, and fry the pork until evenly browned. Remove pork and drain off all but 2 tablespoons of oil, and sauté the onion, garlic, chili, and ginger in same pan. Add the pork back to the pan and add the sweet soy sauce and coconut milk. Simmer for 1 hour or until the pork is completely tender and serve over hot jasmine rice. Garnish with coriander leaves if desired.

Serves 4-6

3½ ounces fresh lime juice
3½ ounces coconut vinegar
1 ounce fish sauce
¼ cup sugar
1 ounce olive oil
1⁄3 cup coconut peelings (see directions below)
1 pound jumbo-lump crab meat                                    
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced      
1 red jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, cut in half, deseeded, and cut into slices
¼ cup mint leaves
¼ cup coriander leaves  
¼ cup sliced green onions
¼ crispy shallots (These can be bought in jars but are entirely optional.)

Combine all dressing ingredients (lime juice, coconut vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and olive oil) in a bowl, whisking to dissolve sugar. Place in the refrigerator.

To make the coconut peelings, break a coconut in half, remove flesh in large chunks, and peel into strips using a vegetable peeler. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, including coconut, and toss lightly. Drizzle dressing over salad to coat ingredients. Top each with crispy shallots. Serve immediately.

2 tablespoons olive oil      
3 shallots peeled and sliced
2 bunches asparagus
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
4 ounces white wine
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 lemon (half of it zested to use in cream)

Heat a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté shallots until transparent. Add asparagus (be sure to cut off bottom portion that is hard and stalky) and tarragon leaves (reserve stems for later use) and cook briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze pan with white wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add vegetable stock and continue to cook until asparagus is completely soft. Puree tarragon stems in a blender until completely smooth. Pour through a fine strainer and recheck seasoning. Whip cream until firm. Gently fold in lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and chopped tarragon stems. Pour soup into 4 warm bowls and top with a dollop of cream. Serves 4.

This recipe for the classic Thai noodle dish calls for shrimp, but you could also substitute sliced chicken breast or beef or even cubed extra-firm tofu.

3/4 pound dried flat rice noodles (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide)
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
8 garlic cloves, minced
4 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and spun dry
4 scallions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup water

For garnish:

1/3 cup crushed roasted peanuts
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
Chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

In a large bowl, soak the noodles in cold water to cover for 30 minutes, or until they are softened; then drain well. In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, the ketchup, the vinegar, the brown sugar and the cayenne.

In a wok or non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the eggs, and cook them, stirring until they are scrambled and just cooked through. Transfer the eggs to a bowl and break them into pieces with a spoon.

In the wok, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until it just begins to smoke, and in it, stir-fry the garlic and the shallots until mixture is golden. Add the shrimp and stir-fry the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked through. Add the ketchup mixture, the noodles, 2 cups of the bean sprouts, the scallions and the water and cook the mixture, stirring, until the noodles are tender and the excess liquid is evaporated. Add the egg; toss the mixture well, and mound it on to a platter.

Sprinkle the noodle mixture with the peanuts and the red pepper flakes and arrange the remaining 1 cup bean sprouts around it. Garnish it with the cilantro and the lime wedges. Serves 6.

8 quarts boiling salted water
1/2 box bowtie pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 stick butter
1 cup 1/4-inch cubed pancetta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken stock
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 anchovy fillets

Place pasta into boiling water, cooking until al dente; refresh in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and toss the pasta briefly in the olive oil.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, sweat the shallots and garlic over a medium-low flame with 1 tablespoon of butter until translucent. Add the pancetta and sweat an additional 2 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the asparagus to the pancetta mixture. Stir and add the chicken stock. As the stock warms, add the remaining butter, stirring to incorporate and thicken the mix. (Don’t allow mixture to boil or the sauce will split. If the sauce is thin, add more butter.) Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta and toss in the sauce.
Place pasta in warm bowls and top with grated Parmesan and anchovy filets. Crack fresh pepper over the pasta and serve. Serves 6.

1 box Japanese-style tempura mix
1 head of garlic
2-inch knob of ginger
1 organic egg yolk
1 tablespoon ground Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
1 bunch green asparagus

Preheat a deep fryer to 350 degrees. Prepare tempura mix according to package instructions. Cover the mix with plastic wrap and keep cold.

Wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil and place in a preheated oven until soft (approximately 35-40 minutes). Remove the pulp by cutting the bulb in half and squeezing it from the paper.

Remove the skin of the ginger with a spoon. In a blender, place the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, vinegar and cooled roasted garlic pulp. Grate the ginger into the blender. Blend at low speed, increasing to medium speed. Slowly add a thin stream of olive oil. (Don’t add the oil too fast or the aioli will split; the addition of the oil should take about 2 minutes. If the aioli splits, add a small amount of warm water to the mix.) Once the aioli thickens, season with salt and pepper.

Snap off ends of asparagus and cut spears into 3-inch pieces. Dredge in tempura batter. Fry until the batter has set, and the crust is crisp and crunchy. Immediately season with salt and drain on a paper towel. Serve hot with the aioli. Serves 6

1 bunch green asparagus
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
8 ounces marinated whole baby artichoke hearts, halved and drained
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lemon
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Snap off ends of the asparagus. Lightly dress asparagus with 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place asparagus on a preheated medium-high grill. Allow the asparagus to get char marks on all sides. Remove the asparagus from the grill.

Clean the grill, then place the artichoke hearts on the grill, allowing them to char on all sides before removing.

To assemble, lay two 2- to 3-inch-by-7-inch slices of prosciutto on a piece of parchment paper. Roll 3 spears of asparagus in the ham; repeat until all the grilled asparagus is wrapped (makes approximately 8 bundles). Put bunches of asparagus on a serving platter. Place the grilled artichoke hearts on top or around the asparagus. Zest the lemon over the plate, then squeeze the lemon over the bundles. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle parsley over the entire dish. Serves 6 to 8.

I combined a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie with one for a seafood-like version of Shepherd’s Pie to come up with this. A bit rich, but warming on a cold night.

2 pounds potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 pound cod fillet, skinned and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 pound shelled shrimp
1 carrot, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup wine
1 spring thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound mixed wild mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 leeks (white and pale green parts), thinly sliced
1/2 cup water

Salt
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups fish or chicken stock or bottled clam juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried nutmeg

Peel potatoes, cut into cubes, and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain the potatoes, add the 4 tablespoons butter, and mash. Mix in beaten egg. Set aside.

Combine the carrot, wine, 1/2 cup water, thyme, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil, then turn off the heat and let cool. Remove the carrot and herbs. Add the cod to the liquid and bring to a simmer over medium heat, and poach cod for 3 minutes. Remove cod to a plate, add salmon to the liquid and poach for 3 minutes. When the salmon is cooked, remove it from the liquid and add to the cod. Poach the shrimp in the same manner. Set aside fish and shellfish.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes, until they are tender and lightly browned. Remove mushrooms with slotted spoon and place in a 10- or 11-inch baking dish (2 1/2 to 3 quart capacity).

Melt 4 tablespoons of the remaining butter and the remaining oil in the same skillet. Add carrots, leeks, cover and cook on low heat, stirring once or twice to prevent burning, for about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and add to baking dish.

Add fish, shrimp and thawed peas to baking dish.

About 2 tablespoons of butter/oil should remain in the skillet. If not, add a little more butter to make 2 tablespoons. Stir flour into butter and cook over high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the stock and cream and simmer, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for about 5 minutes, or until sauce is smooth and thick.

Pour sauce into baking dish and stir gently to blend with other ingredients. Stir in green onions, parsley and tarragon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Beat mashed potatoes briefly with a wooden spoon to loosen them. Spread potatoes over the top of the baking dish, making certain to cover all edges so that the sauce doesn’t bubble up and overflow. Sprinkle a little grated nutmeg over the top of the potatoes if you like. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serves 4.

Easy, unconventional and delicious, this is one of my favorite pizza combinations, and a Friday night go-to.

Using Rapid-Rise yeast will dispel any notion that making homemade pizza crust is time-consuming.

Yellow cornmeal for sprinkling on the pizza pan
1 recipe pizza dough (see below)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 6 1/2-ounce cans minced clams, drained
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Sprinkle an oiled 14-inch pizza pan or baking sheet with a tablespoon or 2 of cornmeal. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to fit whichever pan you’re using, and fit dough into pan. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle it with the clams, the garlic, the red pepper flakes, the parsley and the Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the pizza and bake the pizza on the bottom of a preheated 500-degree electric oven or on the floor of a preheated 500-degree gas oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, cut into wedges, and serve.

Quick Pizza Dough

2 to 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4-ounce package fast-acting yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a food processor, combine 3/4 cup of the flour, the yeast, sugar and, with motor running, add 2/3 cup hot water (130 degrees). Turn motor off. Add the oil, 1 1/4 cups of the remaining flour, and the salt, and process the mixture until it forms a ball, adding more water,
1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry, or more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is too wet. Knead the dough by processing it for 15 seconds.
The dough can be used immediately, but for better flavor it is best to let it rise once. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it to coat with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it is double in bulk. Punch down dough before rolling out for crust. Serves 4.