Coffee-walnut cookies
Total time: 1 hour, plus overnight chilling time
Servings: Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies
Note: Adapted from "Pure Dessert" by Alice Medrich
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 cup walnuts
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsps. fresh, finely ground medium-roast (not espresso-roast) coffee beans, plus about 70 whole beans for garnish
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsps. (1 3/4 sticks) butter
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. brandy
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla extract
1. Combine the flour, walnuts, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the walnuts are finely ground. Add the ground coffee and pulse to mix. Add the butter (cut in several pieces if firm) and pulse until the mixture looks damp and crumbly. Drizzle in the brandy and vanilla extract and pulse until the dough begins to clump up around the blade. Remove the dough, press it into a ball and knead it by hand a few times to complete the mixing.
2. Form the dough into a 12-inch log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably, overnight, or up to 3 days. The dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
3. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a sharp knife to cut the cold dough log into one-fourth-inch-thick slices. (If the dough crumbles when you cut into it, let it soften for several minutes.) Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on silicone-lined baking sheets. Press a coffee bean into the center of each cookie.
4. Bake the cookies until light golden brown at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking. Let the cookies firm up on the pans for about 1 minute, then transfer them to a rack with an offset spatula. Cool completely. These cookies are delicious fresh but are even better the next day. They can be stored in an airtight container for at least a month.
Each cookie: 56 calories; 1 gram protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 6 mg. cholesterol; 9 mg. sodium.
Tuscan minestrone
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Standing time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 quart water
1 package (8 ounces) dried cannellini or navy beans
1 Tbsps. olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 each, finely chopped: celery rib, carrot, small onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cans (14 ounces each) chicken broth
1 sprig rosemary
12 fingerling potatoes or small Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 to 3 small zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsps. finely sliced basil strips
1. Heat water to a boil in saucepan. Place the beans in a medium bowl; pour the boiling water over them to cover. Allow the beans to stand 1 hour; drain. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the celery, carrot and onion; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook just until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the chicken broth, beans and rosemary. Raise the heat to high; heat to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pan; cook until flavors come together, about 45 minutes. Stir in the potatoes; cover. Cook 15 minutes; stir in the zucchini and tomato. Cover; cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle each serving with fresh basil and a light drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition information per serving: 255 calories, 7% of calories from fat, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein, 799 mg sodium, 9 g fiber.
from realsimple.com
Asian hot pot
Prepare the noodles according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the broth, soy sauce, ginger, and chili sauce (if using) and combine. Bring to a boil. Add the scallions, carrots, and green beans. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Drain the noodles and cut into 3-inch lengths. Divide the noodles among individual bowls and ladle the soup over the top.
Tip: You can find cellophane and rice noodles in the Asian-food aisle of most supermarkets. If you prefer a more substantial soup, substitute 8 ounces of angel-hair pasta or whole-wheat spaghetti, breaking the strands into pieces before cooking.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 264(20% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 1g); SUGAR 11g; PROTEIN 9g; CHOLESTEROL 0mg; SODIUM 2,639mg; FIBER 6g; CARBOHYDRATE 49g
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, broil both lemon halves until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove and cool. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes. Squeeze 1 lemon half into the skillet. Add the broccoli rabe, olives, salt, and pepper and heat through, about 2 minutes. Serve, using the other lemon half, cut into wedges, for garnish.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 106(1% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2g); PROTEIN 4mg; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 63mg; SODIUM 325mg; FIBER 0g; CARBOHYDRATE 7g; IRON 1mg
from KCRW's good food
Crescenza in Carrozza with an Herb Crust
Serves 4
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons teaspoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
8 ounces Crescenza, Port Salut, Monterey Jack, or Fresh Mozzarella
8 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup mango chutney
Crack the eggs into a low-sided, flat bowl. Beat with a whisk for a minute until well beaten. Add the milk, salt, parsley, chives, oregano, basil, and rosemary and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Slice the Crescenza into 8 slices each about 1/2-inch thick. Then cut the slices of cheese in half. Cut the slices of bread in half so that you have 16 rectangular pieces of bread. Lay eight slices of bread on a flat surface and distribute the slices of cheese atop the bread. Cover with the remaining eight slices of bread. Using your fingers, pinch the edges of the bread closed to contain the cheese.
Pour the olive oil and vegetable oil into a medium skillet and place over medium heat. Heat the oil to about 350°F. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, one by one, dip the sandwiches into the egg batter and coat them on both sides as well as the edges and then place the little sandwiches in the oil. Cook on one side and then the other until golden brown.
Serve immediately. Pass the chutney in a separate bowl.
Recipe courtesy of Paula Lambert's Cheese, Glorious Cheese!
from the baltimore sun
Broccoli with balsamic-bacon vinaigrette sauce
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 strips bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small shallot, minced
1 1/2 Tbsps. balsamic vinegar (divided use)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 1/4 pounds broccoli, tops cut into 1-inch florets, stems sliced 1/4 inch thick
1. Make the sauce: In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally until crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a dish lined with paper towels, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the shallot to the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add 1 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar and scrape with a spoon to dissolve brown bits stuck to the pan. Off the heat, stir in the remaining vinegar, the lemon juice and mustard. Gradually whisk in the oil (don't worry if the sauce doesn't emulsify). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook the broccoli: Bring an inch or so of water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer insert. Put the broccoli in the steamer; sprinkle with salt, cover tightly and steam until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. The broccoli should be neither crisp nor soft, but exactly in between. To check, bite into a piece you quickly run under cold water, being careful not to burn your tongue. Transfer to a serving bowl.
5. Briefly reheat the sauce if necessary. Drizzle over the steamed broccoli, sprinkle with the bacon bits and serve.
Per serving (based on 6 servings): 104 calories, 4 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 2 milligrams cholesterol, 77 milligrams sodium.