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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I don’t know what makes this cake “Polish” (the nut, coffee and marmalade combination? The ladyfinger crumbs?). What I do know is that it’s one of the many recipes I tore from a magazine years ago and pasted into a binder. You must begin preparation the day before you intend to serve the cake.

10 large eggs, separated, the whites at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons milk
2 3/4 cups ground walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fine stale ladyfinger crumbs
2 1/4 cups ground almonds
1/4 cup orange marmalade

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg yolks with 2 1/2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is thick and pale. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and the milk until the mixture is smooth and add the cocoa mixture to the yolk mixture, beating. Stir in the walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla, and pour the mixture into a 10-inch springform pan.

In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Carefully stir in the lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and the ladyfinger crumbs, and fold in the almonds. Pour meringue into the springform pan, mounding it slightly in the center, and bake the cake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until it is golden.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to release it, and remove the sides of the pan. Let the cake stand, covered loosely, for 24 hours, Heat the marmalade until runny, and spread it over the top of the cake. Let the marmalade dry for several hours.

Icing
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, combine the coffee and 2 tablespoons of hot water. Stir until dissolved. Let the coffee cool to room temperature. When coffee is cool, stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Spread the icing over the marmalade. Makes 8 servings.

Makes enough for a large bowl
6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and left in water
vegetable oil for frying (at least four inches deep)
salt for seasoning chips
2 cups whole-milk sour cream
Sriracha chili sauce (found in the Asian section of the grocery)

Using a hand slicer with a waffle cutting blade (or straight blade), thinly slice sweet potatoes. Fry slices in 350-degree oil. Stir to cook evenly. When they stop bubbling, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with sour cream drizzled with Sriracha sauce.

Serves 4-6

5 russet potatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 stick butter, cubed
2-4 fresh or dried bay leaves
salt and pepper

Peel potatoes and slice in half. Cut the ends so they stand upright. Place potatoes in an oven-proof casserole dish and cover with chicken stock. Add butter and bay leaves to stock. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place potatoes, uncovered, in a 350-degree preheated oven.  Baste every 10 minutes with stock until the potatoes are soft but firm. If the potatoes are not done, add more stock. Cooking time should take approximately 45 minutes.

Serves 4-6

11⁄2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 tablespoon butter cup pitted Nicoise olives
8 anchovies, chopped
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

Cook potatoes in simmering water until soft. Sauté the cauliflower florets in butter over medium-high heat until browned.

Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl with the olives, cauliflower, and anchovies. Using a potato masher, crush the ingredients and add the olive oil, pepper, and parsley. 

Serves 6

1 cup sour cream
1 cups mayonnaise
1 lemon, juiced
1pounds red bliss potatoes, cooked until tender
? pound bacon, chopped
? cup crumbled blue cheese
1 bunch scallions, chopped
freshly ground pepper

Boil potatoes, with skins on, until soft. Halve when cool enough to the touch. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Add potatoes, bacon, blue cheese, and scallions. Season with pepper. Serve warm or cold.

This is my late mother-in-law Vivian Gardner’s recipe. The best results will come from the small, fresh beets you can purchase at any of Baltimore’s local farmers’ markets.

1 gallon or about 30 small beets

Scrub beets. Cut off leaves, leaving 1/2 inch of stems by the beet and leave root. In a large saucepan, cover the beets with water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer the beets over moderate heat until tender, about 1 hour. Drain in a colander and let cool slightly. Peel and slice the beets, or if they are very small, you may leave them whole. Pack the beets in sterilized jars.

Syrup
3 cups vinegar
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bring ingredients for syrup to a boil and cook until sugar is melted. Fill jars with hot syrup, leaving 1/2 inch at the top of the jar for expansion. Wipe jar rim and place hot seal and ring onto jar. Place in hot water bath and process for 10 minutes. Take out of canner and place jars upside down on a towel on the counter. Let cool and store.

I found several recipes for falafel on http://www.epicurious.com. Here’s the one I’m going to try.

1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas (7 ounces)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
About 6 cups vegetable oil (48 fluid ounces)

Soak chickpeas in cold water to cover by 2 inches in a bowl at room temperature at least 12 hours. Drain well in a colander. 

Purée chickpeas with all remaining ingredients except oil in a food processor until as smooth as possible, about 2 minutes. Spread purée in a 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan and let dry, uncovered, 1 hour.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of purée onto a long sheet of wax paper, then press and pat with your fingers into a 2-inch-wide patty. (Pressing the purée will help the patty hold together when frying.) Make a small hole in center of patty with tip of your pinkie finger (to help cook evenly). Make more patties in same manner, arranging them in 1 layer on wax paper.

Heat about 1 inch oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) until thermometer registers 340 degrees. Working in batches of 4, gently drop patties into hot oil, then fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 340 degrees between batches. Serve falafel warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

An unusual fruitcake— more like a poundcake and without nuts— from Jacques Pépin. Don’t be put off by making your own candied peel. It’s a bit time-consuming, but easy.

Candied Peels
1 grapefruit
1 tangerine
1 lime
1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Dried Fruit
1/3 cup diced dried apricots
1/3 cup diced dried pears
1/3 cup diced dried peaches
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dark rum, Armagnac, or cognac
Cake
10 ounces unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), softened
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 inches)

For the candied peels: For this recipe, the peels include not only the colored parts of the skin but the pith as well. Cut wedges through the skin of the citrus fruits, pull the skin off the fruit, and dice it into pieces about 3/8 inch thick— you will have about 2 1/4 cups of diced peel.

Put the diced peel in a saucepan with 6 cups of cold water, bring to a boil, and cook over high heat for about 1 minute then drain in a colander. Wash the piece for a few seconds under cold tap water. Rinse the saucepan with cold water, return diced peel to the pan, and add another 6 cups of water. Repeat the boiling, draining and washing procedure, and wash the saucepan again. (This blanching process removes the bitterness from the peel.) Finally, return the diced peel to the saucepan with the sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced to a very syrupy liquid.

Add the dried fruit to the candied peels and syrup. Mix in the rum, Armagnac or cognac. At this point, the mixture can be placed in a jar and kept, refrigerated, almost indefinitely.

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the soft butter and sugar for 1 minute in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a flat beater. Add the eggs and beat for 30 seconds. Add the orange juice, salt and flour and beat for 10 to 20 seconds, just enough to incorporate. Using a spatula, fold in the candied and dried fruits.
Cut a strip of parchment paper long enough to fit the length of a 6- to 8-cup loaf pan and extend 1 1/2 inches beyond it at either end. (This makes it easier to unmold the cake after baking.) Butter the paper and the mold, bottom and sides, and position the paper in the mold, buttered side up, pressing to make it adhere to the bottom and sides at either end. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula.

Place the loaf pan on a cookie sheet, and bake in the 350-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees, and bake for another 60 to 70 minutes, until completely set.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack. When cool, unmold, wrap in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil, and keep either frozen or in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a few weeks. Makes approximately 20 slices.

White fruitcakes omit molasses and generally use lighter colored dried fruits than traditional dark fruitcakes. My failure with this recipe (from “The Crabtree & Evelyn Cookbook”) has nothing to do with its composition and everything to do with my skills.

1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried pears
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried figs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried pineapple
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped citron
1 cup dark rum
2 cups whole hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
7 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons orange flower water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, combine the dried fruit and peel with 2/3 cup of rum and set fruit aside to macerate several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. When ready to assemble fruitcake, add hazelnuts to macerating fruit.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour with baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar, and beat in the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition, until mixture becomes very light and fluffy. Add lemon zest, nutmeg, flower water, vanilla and flour mixture, and beat until well blended. Stir in fruit, hazelnuts and macerating mixture.

In a very clean large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry peaks form. Stir about one-fourth of whites into fruitcake batter to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whites. (The batter will be heavy, so it may be easiest to fold in whites with your hands.)

Spoon batter into a 10-inch tube pan that has been buttered, lined with buttered parchment paper and floured. Smooth top of batter with a spatula. Bake in center of oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cake is a rich golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Using a small knife, loosen edges of cake and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

In a bowl, soak in remaining 1/3 cup of rum a square of cheesecloth large enough to completely wrap cake. Spread the rum-soaked cheesecloth on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Place cake in center and wrap tightly with the cheesecloth and then with the foil. Put in a cool dry place to mellow for at least 3 days. To serve, remove from the wrappings and slice very thinly. Makes about 24 thin slices.

This is a traditional fruitcake recipe, given to one of my co-workers at The Wine Source by a customer after she brought us a slice to sample (it was delicious). Like all good and generous cooks, the customer shared the way she changed the recipe with us: “This is just a guide. I added dried peaches and dried cranberries and [more] bourbon instead of brandy, and left out the ginger. After the cake cools, wrap in good quality cheesecloth; then brush with bourbon whenever the cloth is dry.”

2 cups golden raisins
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup currants
2 cups dried apricot halves
2 cups dried figs, halved
1 cup pitted prunes
1 cup whole pitted dates
4 cups walnuts, in halves or large pieces
2 cups pecans, in halves or large pieces
Grated zest of 3 oranges
Grated zest of 3 lemons
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup molasses
2 cups brandy
1/2 cup orange liqueur
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound (4 sticks or 2 cups) butter
3 cups dark brown sugar
8 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

The day before you make the fruitcake, combine all the dried fruits, the nuts and citrus zests in a large mixing bowl or kettle. Sprinkle on the candied ginger and the spices, and toss well to mix. Add the molasses, brandy and orange liqueur, and mix well. Cover and let stand overnight, stirring once or twice. (The mixture may sit for several days, if you wish. Stir it occasionally, and add a little more brandy if it has been absorbed.)

The day you make the cakes, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Grease four 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans, line the bottoms with waxed paper, grease the paper, then roll flour about the pans to coat them lightly and evenly. Knock out excess flour.
Sprinkle 1 cup of flour over the fruit mixture and stir well. Combine the remaining 3 cups of flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt, and sift them together onto a piece of waxed paper; set aside. Cream the butter, then add the brown sugar and beat well. Add the eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Add the combined dry ingredients and beat until the batter is thoroughly blended and perfectly smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and mix well until all the pieces of fruit are coated with batter— your clean hands are the best tools for this.

Divide the batter among the prepared loaf pans, filling them within 1/2 inch of the top. Bake the cakes for about 2 hours: each cake will rise just above the rim of the pan, the top will crack slightly in several places, and there will be a faint line of shrinkage around the edge of the pan. A long wooden skewer inserted in the center of a cake should come out clean, or with a light residue of sticky fruit, but no raw batter. Remove the cakes from the oven and place them on a rack to cool for about 30 minutes. Turn out of the pans, peel off the waxed paper, and let cool top side up on a rack. If you wish, pour an additional tablespoon or 2 of brandy over the cakes as they cool.

To store: Wrap each cake first in plastic wrap, then in a secure wrapping of foil and keep in a cool place. Or, if you wish, you may first wrap each cake in a brandy-soaked cloth, then in foil, and store as directed above. The cakes will keep for months. To serve, cut in thin slices with a long serrated knife. Makes 4 loaves.

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
9 ounces unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks, plus 1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
Additional 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Toast pecans in preheated 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Grind in a food processor, or use a knife, until finely chopped but not oily.

With a beater attachment, beat butter, salt, the half cup of powder sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the toasted chopped pecans. Sift the flour over the butter mixture, gently combining until well blended.

Roll the cookies into 1-inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven. It’s helpful to rotate the cookie sheet halfway through the cooking process.

Transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack. When completely cool, roll in an additional 1/3 cup of powdered sugar or more as necessary. Makes 5 dozen.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 sticks softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 large fresh vanilla bean, scrape seeds
1 large egg
1 lemon, zested with a micro plane or grater

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine and sift together flour, salt and baking powder. With a beater attachment, using either a mixer or hand-held mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon zest until well combined.

Wrap dough and let firm up in refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and punch out cookie shapes. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie tray and bake until lightly golden. Makes 3 dozen to 4 dozen.

1 cup toasted, finely chopped walnuts
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large sheets all-butter puff pastry (available in supermarket frozen food sections)
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine walnuts, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Lay out a frozen sheet of puff pastry and let thaw slightly so that it’s still stiff but not completely defrosted. Brush sheet with melted butter, then sprinkle an even layer of sugar mixture over entire puff pastry.

Roll up puff pastry and slice in 3/8 increments so that you have small rounds. Place on a buttered cookie tray. Brush top of the rounds with more melted butter and bake in the oven until lightly browned. Makes 3 dozen.

2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mixed dried fruit

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With a beater attachment, using either a mixer or hand-held mixer, beat butter, salt, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Add eggs 1 at a time until incorporated, then flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix until smooth.

In a food processor, finely grind the rolled oats and add to the dough, mixing until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and dried fruit, and mix until incorporated into the batter.

Bake cookies in oven evenly spaced on a greased cookie sheet tray for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 3 dozen. 

Adapted from a recipe found in a pamphlet published by the Maryland State Aquaculture Development and Seafood Marketing Program, the name of this po’ boy-like sandwich intrigues. Then again, who could be angry eating fried oysters?

1 loaf Italian bread
8 slices bacon
1/2 pint (8 ounces) shucked Maryland oysters, drained
2 cups flour
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon horseradish

Slice bread in half lengthwise; scoop out soft bread from both top and bottom portions, leaving enough of the loaf to form a shell. In a skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Remove and drain. Dredge oysters in flour and fry in bacon fat until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix sour cream and horseradish together and spread over top half of bread. Place cooked bacon, oysters and tomatoes in bottom half of bread. Replace top half of bread and cut sandwich diagonally into slices. Serves 4. 

This is my mother’s recipe, which she took from “The Women’s Home Companion Cook Book” (1955). There’s more batter to an oyster fritter than in a traditionally fried oyster, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

1 3/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 pint fresh oysters, shucked

Sift flour. Add baking powder and salt and sift again. Combine beaten egg, milk and melted butter; pour into the flour mixture and stir just until smooth. Add fresh oysters.

Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls into deep hot fat (365 to 375 degrees) and fry 3 to 5 minutes or until well browned on all sides, turning the fritters as they rise to the surface; drain on absorbent paper. Serves 6.

If you no longer have a coal furnace, you can still roast oysters in your oven by following the instructions provided by the Hotel Rennert that were published in the 1932 book “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Maryland.” No quantities are given, so make as many oysters as you have appetite for. I’m also guessing that it is the melted butter that makes these oysters “fancy.”

“Scrub oyster shells until clean, arrange in baking pan, and place in very hot oven until the shells open. Remove the flat shell and loosen

A rich, simple dish that I often throw together for supper around the holidays when everything else is not so simple. I’ve also heard folks use this as a side at Thanksgiving. Cream will make the dish richer; add at your own discretion.
1 pint fresh oysters, shucked
1/2 cup cream (optional)
2 cups coarse crumbled cracker crumbs made from
approximately 4 ounces of saltine crackers
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate oysters from their liquor, reserving liquid in a separate bowl (you may add the cream to the reserved liquor if you desire). In the bottom of a deep pie plate, layer the cracker crumbs, then the oysters, then the reserved oyster liquor. Repeat layering twice, or until dish is filled. Dot with butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid is evaporated and the top is brown and crisp to touch. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

1/2 cup dried wild rice
3 eggs
1 cup cold water
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for cooking crepes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 duck breasts trimmed
1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
1 cup red wine
4 ounces prepared demi-glace (available at gourmet grocery stores)
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring 1 cup of water to boil and add rice, reducing heat to a simmer until rice is very tender. Prepare the crepe batter by beating the eggs, water and melted butter in a medium size bowl. Gradually whisk flour and baking powder into egg mixture until smooth. Season batter with salt and pepper. Cover and rest mixture in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Season duck breasts with salt and pepper. Sear skin-side down in heavy sauté pan over medium heat with the vegetable oil. Render the duck skin until crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Flip breast over and cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Keep breasts in a warm place until ready to serve.

In a small saucepan, add red wine and reduce to 2 ounces. Add demi-glace and melt over low heat. Add sour cherries. Bring sauce to a simmer, then store in a warm place. (Cover saucepan with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.)

Add cooked wild rice to crepe batter and stir to combine. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat and brush with melted butter. Ladle crepe batter and swirl pan to evenly coat bottom. When golden brown on 1 side, flip crepe. On a plate, quickly place crepe between layers of wax paper. Repeat process 4 times, making sure to stir the batter to redistribute the wild rice.

To assemble, warm duck breasts in 400-degree oven for 4 minutes. Remove from oven, slice meat against the grain, and fan on top of a rolled crepe. Ladle the sour cherry sauce onto the plate and serve. Serves 4.

1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
2 large lamb shanks
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
10 peppercorns
5 fresh thyme sprigs
1 dried bay leaf
2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup dried barley
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice
2 celery stalks, washed and cut into medium dice
1 leek, white part only, cut into medium dice
Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley Sauce

1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped very fine
Several drops fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy-gauge pot over medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown in pot on all sides until crispy dark brown. Add onion and garlic to pot and sauté with shanks stirring so that the vegetables do not burn. Add peppercorns, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and stock to pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.

Remove shanks and pull meat from bone, separating cartilage from meat, and chop into bite-size pieces. Add meat, barley, carrots, celery and leek back to pot and cook on top of stove with the lid off for an additional hour.  Check seasoning and remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. 

To make parsley sauce, chop parsley leaves very fine and combine with olive oil, minced garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble, ladle soup into warm bowls and drizzle with fresh parsley sauce. Serves 4 to 6. 

1/2 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
2 cups prepared pancake batter (can be made from scratch or a mix)
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Cook quinoa by toasting in small saucepan with vegetable oil over medium heat.  (Toasting grains gives a nutty flavor.) Add water and bring to a light simmer. Cover until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let it steam covered, like rice.

Add cooked quinoa to pancake batter and mix thoroughly. 

To make syrup, simply combine syrup with blueberries over a low heat until the blueberries begin to pop.

Cook Johnny cakes on a seasoned griddle or non-stick pan. If you like the edges crisp, cook the cakes in melted butter. Serve with blueberry syrup and dust with confectionary sugar. Serves 6 to 8.

4 cups chicken stock
1 dried bay leaf
2 cups bulgur wheat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup smoked bacon cut in chunks or strips
4 shallots peeled, halved and sliced like an onion
4 cups spinach
Salt and pepper

In a small stock pot, bring stock and bay leaf to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and add bulgur wheat. Cover pot and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Leave covered an additional 10 minutes for the wheat to absorb the liquid.

Add olive oil to a heavy-bottom pan and render bacon pieces until almost crispy. Add sliced shallots and sauté until aromatic and translucent. Add the spinach and cooked bulgur wheat to the pan. Stir to combine. Check seasoning and serve warm. Serves 4.

One of my husband’s favorite memories of working at Loyola University of Chicago’s Cudahy Library is the treat