To make the glaze, combine the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water and melt, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup until the glaze is smooth and shiny. Set the cake on a wire rack over a large baking sheet. Pour the warm glaze over the center of the cake. The glaze should cover the surface evenly, spilling over the edges and down the sides, with all the excess falling onto the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
Slice the cake in small slices (it’s very rich), dipping your knife into hot water and wiping it dry before you cut each slice.
SUPER-DUPER
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE
CHIP COOKIES
ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES
I like to save the dough for these cookies in plastic egg cartons. Instead of throwing the cartons away, I thoroughly wash them in soap and water, and then I use them to hold my golf ball–size scoops of cookie dough. I can stack the cartons in the freezer without taking up too much room.
This is an easy way to share these treats, and do your part to recycle, too. You can wrap pretty ribbons around the cartons and give them out as gifts. I also use them as party favors. When my guests leave, they leave with homemade cookie dough they can bake up themselves, fresh from the oven.
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
4 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to fit the pan.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
With an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars for 2 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, add the vanilla, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl again. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until blended. Add the chocolate morsels, nuts, and raisins, and mix well.
Using a small ice cream scoop, place golf ball–size pieces of cookie dough on the cookie sheet. Don’t worry if you crowd them at this point, they need to be chilled first before they’re baked. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
When ready to bake, line another cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the chilled cookie dough balls at least 3 ½ inches apart on the cookie sheet, and bake in batches. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cookies are golden-brown on top. Keep your eye on them; check them after 15 minutes. Using a metal spatula, place the cookies on a rack to cool. (I can only wait 10 minutes; then I go for it—while the chocolate is still melty—with a cold glass of milk.)
FOURTH-GENERATION
RICE PUDDING
12 TO 14 SERVINGS
My husband’s family has had this recipe in their family for generations. His dad ran a Greek diner in the Bronx, and people used to come from miles around to eat this creamy rice pudding. This is a true feel-good food.
I’ve served it for every family holiday meal, for Sunday meals, and for no reason at all—other than everyone loves it.
7 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cups long grain rice
1 cup sugar
¾ cup raisins
¼ cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for garnish
In a heavy 4-quart pot, combine the milk and heavy cream. Bring the mixture just to a boil over medium-high heat (small bubbles will appear around the edge of the pan), stirring frequently. Stir in the rice, sugar, raisins, and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil again; then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender, about 1 hour. Beat the eggs in a bowl until light. Temper the eggs by combining ¼ cup of the cooked rice mixture with the eggs, stirring quickly. Add the egg-rice mixture back into the pot and incorporate with the rest of the rice. Stir constantly over low heat until the pudding thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Serve nice and hot right out of the pot, or keep covered and cool before serving. Spoon the pudding into dessert dishes and sprinkle with cinnamon.
The pudding will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. I love it cold right out of the fridge.
BLACKBERRY COBBLER
4 TO 6 SERVINGS
I love to make cobblers. They’re easy to do, and you can make most of them with your favorite fruit. Big juicy blackberries are my choice, and in a cobbler warm and sweet, there is nothing better!
Filling
6 cups blackberries
cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Pinch of salt
Topping
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk, beaten, at room temperature
½ cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a glass pie plate.
To make the filling, in a large bowl, gently toss the blackberries with the sugar, flour, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl until blended. Pour into the prepared baking dish and set aside.
For the topping, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla, blending well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until the flour is moistened and the mixture forms a soft dough.
Drop heaping spoonfuls of the topping onto the fruit filling, spacing them evenly over the surface. Don’t worry if the topping doesn’t cover all of the fruit.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean, about 45 minutes. The fruit should be bubbling and the top browned.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or right out of the refrigerator with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh mint (if using).
PEACH CRUMBLE
6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Peaches are without a doubt my very favorite food in the whole world. There is nothing better than a perfectly ripe peach. When peach season is at its height, usually mid-August, I eat peaches every day, almost all day long. The season is so short, so I savor every one.
I also like to mix peaches in my Greek yogurt with cinnamon and a twist of lemon. I slice them up to have with my oatmeal, and cut them up to put in my cereal, on salads, and in pies and smoothies. My grandfather used to cut them up and put them in his wine; he always let me have some. (Boy, did I like that!) He’s the one who gave me this recipe for Peach Crumble. I’ve been making it forever to serve my family, and it’s so good.
Filling
6 ripe (not mushy) large yellow peaches
cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Topping and garnish
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
½ cup walnuts
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle of the oven.
Slice the peaches in half and remove the pit. Peel off the skin. Using a knife or a melon baller, scoop out and di
scard the red flesh from the pit area. Into a bowl, slice the peaches into ¾- to 1-inch slices. Add the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Toss gently. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Drain the peaches into a colander over another bowl, saving the juice. Return the peaches to the original bowl.
To the juice add the cornstarch, and whisk to get rid of the lumps. Pour over the sliced peaches and gently mix well. Pour into a 12-inch by 8-inch shallow baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
To make the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oatmeal, walnuts, salt, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter the topping evenly all over the peaches.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the peaches bubble and the top is browned.
Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or frozen yogurt.
FRESH FIGS WITH
PORT WINE AND
BALSAMIC GLAZE
6 SERVINGS
You can use this same recipe with several dishes. Try it in a salad of baby greens served with Stilton or blue cheese, with thinly sliced prosciutto and burrata cheese for an appetizer, or for a surprisingly different dessert with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12 fresh figs, cut in half
¼ cup port wine
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Pinch of kosher salt
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
Reduced Balsamic Syrup
(Reduced Balsamic Syrup)
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the figs, cut side down, and brown, without disturbing them, until they have started to caramelize, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn one over gently with a metal spatula to see if the fig is a deep golden color on the bottom. If not, continue to sauté. When the figs have caramelized, add the port and cook down until a syrup forms.
Divide the figs among 6 individual dessert plates.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the frying pan, and stir up the syrup on the bottom of the pan. Mix well and pour over the tops of the figs. Drizzle balsamic syrup over the top, and sprinkle with mint, lemon zest, a pinch of kosher salt, and the toasted chopped pecans. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt on the side.
COOK’S NOTE: To toast the pecans, place them in a small cold frying pan on medium heat. Warm them until they start to release their oil and turn golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
WARM PEAR STREUSEL
PIE WITH VANILLA BEAN
ICE CREAM
8 TO 9 SERVINGS
This pie is a perfect cold winter’s night dessert.
Flaky piecrust
1 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
½ stick (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into
½-inch pieces
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Streusel topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup dried cherries
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick)
unsalted butter, melted
Filling and topping
6 medium Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and sliced into ½-inch slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
cup sugar
¼ cup raisins
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 quart vanilla bean ice cream
To make the piecrust, process the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the shortening, and process for 12 seconds. Scatter the butter over the flour mixture and pulse chop 8 to 10 times until the butter is the size of small peas. Turn the mixture into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture. With your hands, use a folding motion to press the dough together. Add another tablespoon of ice water if the dough isn’t coming together. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 13 inches in diameter. To gently transfer the pie dough to a 9-inch pie plate, place the rolling pin at the very top of the rolled dough. Wrap the top of the dough around the rolling pin, and continue rolling down toward you until all the dough is wrapped around the rolling pin. Gently lift, and starting with the bottom of the pie plate, hanging 2 inches off the side, start unrolling the dough upward the rest of the way over the pie plate. Press gently into place. Trim the dough to 1 inch from the edge. Roll and crimp the edges. Bake for 30 minutes; cool for 20 minutes.
To make the streusel topping, in a bowl combine the flour, oats, cherries, brown sugar, and salt, and stir with a fork. Add the butter and mix well until moist.
To make the filling, combine the pears and lemon juice in a large bowl, and stir. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and lemon zest. Pour over the pears. Stir well to combine.
Pour the pear mixture into the cooled piecrust. Spread the streusel topping evenly over the pears. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pears are soft and the crust golden. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
DRESSINGS,
SAUCES,
AND SALSAS
Salad dressing enhances the flavor of any salad. It’s important not to use too much dressing when preparing your fresh greens, though. Too much will overpower their earthy flavor and can even wilt them. I like to use fresh herbs and flavored oils such as garlic-infused olive oil, walnut oil, pistachio oil, and hazelnut oil, to name just a few. Flavored vinegars such as aged balsamic, red and white, raspberry, and my favorite, champagne, add the perfect acidity and balance to your dressing. You can savor the taste of all these wonderful dressings without losing the fresh qualities and crispness of your big, beautiful bowl of salad!
It’s important to mix your salad and eat it right away. Leaving your salad to sit for more than 5 minutes with the dressing on, especially if you salted it, will give you one big bowl of blah. The salt will wilt your lettuce in a matter of seconds, releasing water and leaving you with a soggy salad. Don’t be afraid to use the salt, however; it does bring out the flavor of your salad and keep it from tasting bland. If I’m serving a buffet, I mix the salad at the last minute and call everyone to the table to come and enjoy!
Shallot Vinaigrette
Herbed Vinaigrette
Asian Slaw Vinaigrette
Champagne Vinaigrette
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Homemade Croutons
Prosciutto Bits
Cucumber Avocado Salsa
Greek Salsa
Blue Cheese Dressing
Reduced Balsamic Syrup
Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette
Sautéed Baby Roma
Tomatoes with Garlic Chips and Capers
Ginger Dipping Sauce
Avocado Dipping Sauce
Ponzu Dipping Sauce
Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce
Lime and Cumin
Vinaigrette
Green Goddess
Black Bean Salsa with Roasted Corn
Chimichurri
Mango Salsa
Green Apple Chili Salsa
Tomato Salsa
Salsa Verde
SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE
1 CUP
>
This is my favorite vinaigrette. It goes great with all kinds of salads as well as vegetables. Try this on your next potato salad instead of mayonnaise.
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Combine the mustard and shallot in a bowl, and whisk in the olive oil slowly. Continue to whisk to incorporate all the ingredients until smooth. Add the rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Whisk to blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt. This vinaigrette will keep in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.
HERBED VINAIGRETTE
¾ CUP
I enjoy the flavor of fresh herbs infused into salad dressings. Try some of this Herbed Vinaigrette over grilled fish.
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Cracked pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
Italian parsley
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
Whisk the olive oil with the Dijon mustard until incorporated. Slowly add the lemon juice, then the shallot, oregano, salt, pepper, parsley, and basil leaves, and whisk well. Add the garlic. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use. Make sure to whisk the dressing again before you use it. It will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love Page 19
