A is For . . .

A is for . . . Autumn. I remain hopeful that when September 22 rolls around, the temperature will dip into the chilly 80s.

A is for . . . Avoidance. We are only three weeks into the semester, and already I have three stacks of research papers to grade. For some reason, just grading the first one is the hardest part. So, of course, I look for something “more important” to do before I start—organizing my shoes, going through old magazines, and cooking new recipes. Oh yeah, and then blogging about them. 

A is for. . . Asia. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian. Asian “flavor profiles” (I learned that from Top Chef) are among my favorites. Here is a rather simple menu of some dishes that are not truly authentic to any of those cuisines, but use the ingredients in a fun way.

A is for . . . the grade my students undoubtedly hope they all get on their papers. I guess I’ll have to start grading those any day now.

Coconut Shrimp

The recipe is for an appetizer, but I served it as a main dish. Instead of making the sauce, I used a jarred sweet and sour sauce. The curry powder here give these an Indian vibe.

Source: old clipping

Yield: 2 main dish servings

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 c. flaked coconut, toasted and chopped (I pulsed it in the food processor)
½ c. seasoned fine dry bread crumbs (I only had plain, so I added 1 tsp. Tony’s Chacere’s Creole Seasoning)
¾ tsp. curry powder
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
nonstick cooking spray

Sauce:

½ c. mango chutney
¼ c. orange juice
¼ tsp. ground ginger

Process:

Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine coconut, bread crumbs, and curry powder. Place egg whites in another small shallow bowl. Dip shrimp into egg whites, then into coconut mixture, pressing it firmly onto shrimp. Place in prepared baking pan. Coat shrimp with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake about 10 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine chutney, orange juice and ginger. Serve with shrimp.

Asian Rice Pilaf with Ginger and Almonds

Source: original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

½ c. angel hair spaghetti, broken into one-inch pieces
½ c. slivered almonds
2 T. butter
1-2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 c. rice
2 ½ c. chicken broth
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. chopped green onion, green parts only

Process:

In a large sauce pan, sauté the spaghetti and almonds in the butter until golden. Stir in the ginger, rice, chicken broth and soy sauce. Boil 3 minutes, then stir, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes; fluff with fork and stir in green onion.

Garlic-Sesame Spinach

In the original recipe, not all the amounts were specified which I have done here. Also, I adapted this for two servings.

Source: adapted from a recipe in Food and Wine, September 2010

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

8-20 peeled garlic cloves
2 T. vegetable oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 packages baby spinach
salt to tasted
2 T. toasted sesame seeds
sesame oil

Process:

In a large frying pan, sauté the garlic cloves in the vegetable oil until golden. (I did this very slowly, for about 15 minutes). Add the red pepper flakes and sauté for a few seconds to release the flavor. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add a splash of water and salt to taste. Top with the toasted sesame seeds (I toasted these in a non-stick skillet on the stove) and drizzle with the sesame oil. Serve immediately.

The End-of-Summer Denial

When I was growing up in Wisconsin, the end of summer seemed so promising.

With autumn only a breeze or two away, we looked forward to getting out our sweaters, attending the first high school football game of the season, beholding the color riot of changing leaves, and smelling the sweet aroma of a fire in the fireplace.

Of course, celebrating autumn was our own special form of denial since in the back of our minds was always the unavoidable truth that five or more long months of winter were on their way.

Here in Baton Rouge, the end of summer is almost, well, cruel. As I write this the air conditioning is still blasting away, we probably have at least two more months of hot and humid weather, and there are several tropical storms brewing so the chance of a hurricane before the season is over is still a possibility.

So my own special form of denial here is to pretend that a seemingly endless summer is cause for celebration, and for the occasion, I prepared a meal for my husband and dear friend Laurie that incorporates lots of summer’s bounty of produce. (But I still want to wear a sweater.)

I served both the Tomato Topping and the Black Olive Tapenade with thin slices of a baguette that I crisped in the oven. I often “cheat” when I do this by spraying the bread with olive oil cooking spray instead of brushing them with olive oil before baking.

Tomato Topping for Bruschetta

Source: original recipe

Yield: about 2 cups




Ingredients:

4-5 tomatoes, pulp and seeds removed, chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, pressed
Red wine (or balsamic vinegar) to taste, approximately 2 T.
10 fresh basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade
Ground pepper

Process:

Place the tomatoes in a colander, sprinkle with the salt, and let drain for about 10 minutes. Place the tomatoes in a small bowl and add the remaining ingredients. (I kept this at room temperature for a few hours before serving to let the flavors meld.)

Black Olive Tapenade

This is especially easy and tasty.

Source: Susan Spicer’s Crescent City Cooking

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

½ pound Kalamata olives, pitted and rinsed with cold water (I used jarred)
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
3 T. capers, rinsed
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. water
¼ c. olive oil (I think a little less would be better.)

Process:

(I put the olives, anchovy fillets and capers in a small colander and rinsed them together.) Put everything except the olive oil into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture should have a little texture, not be quite completely smooth. You shouldn’t need to add salt, as the ingredients are very salty.

Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho

I served this instead of a salad.

Source: Bon Appétit, August 2005 (Cat Cora)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 3-pound seedless watermelon, diced (about 5 cups), divided
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium-size red bell pepper, seeded, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium-size yellow bell pepper, seeded, diced (about 1 cup)
1 small jalapeño chile, seeded, minced
3 pale green inner celery stalks, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (I used a little more and some balsamic.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Process:

Puree 4 cups watermelon in blender until smooth. Transfer puree to large bowl. Add remaining 1 cup diced watermelon and next 10 ingredients; stir to combine. Cover gazpacho and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Divide gazpacho among bowls; top with dollop of crème fraîche.

Calypso Chicken

Kay Ewing teaches participation cooking classes in Baton Rouge, and although I haven’t taken one of her classes in several years, her cookbooks, especially her first, are my “go tos.”

Source: Kay Ewing’s A Second Course

Yield: 8 servings (can be halved)

Ingredients:

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ c. orange juice
¼ c. teriyaki sauce
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp cumin

Sauce:

½ c. peach preserves
2 T. maple syrup
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. champagne vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
2 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped (I added this to the recipe)

Preheat oven to 400°. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Mix orange juice and teriyaki sauce and pour over chicken. Marinate 15 minutes, turning frequently. Mix all seasonings together. Place chicken on a greased foil-lined baking pan, discard marinade, and sprinkle both sides with all of the seasoning mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes. Make sauce by mixing all ingredients together. (I heated the ingredients on the stove until the preserves melted and it was heated through.)

The chicken breasts I had were very thick so I sliced them in half horizontally and reduced the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

I might be slow getting on the quinoa "train," but, man, am I on board.  Nutty, chewy, very satisfying--no wonder it is called the "super grain."

Source: Bon Appétit, January 2010

Yield: 4 main-course or 6 side-dish servings

1 c. quinoa, rinsed
1 T. olive oil
1 ½ c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 8-oz. package sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
6 oz. fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (The recipe called for 3 divided but didn’t explain, so I just used 2)
1 c. dry white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 2 cups salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, 6 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine is reduced and liquid is syrupy, 2 minutes.

Mix quinoa into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper. Pass cheese separately.

Sautéed Vegetable Strips

Source: Kay Ewing’s Cooking School Cookbook

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 carrots, peeled
2 zucchini, scrubbed
2 yellow squash, scrubbed
2 T. butter
salt & pepper to taste

Process:

Cut carrots, zucchini, and squash in strips with a vegetable peeler (don’t include seeds). Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Sauté vegetable strips about1 minute, until vegetables are heated and slightly soft. Salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

This cake is good with any berry--blueberries or sliced strawberries.


Source: Gourmet, June 2009

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 c. plus 1½ T. sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 c. well-shaken buttermilk
1 c. fresh raspberries (about 5 ounces)

½ c. whipping cream, sweetened & whipped

Process:

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. (I cut a parchment paper liner for the bottom of the pan and buttered and floured that.) Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined. Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate. (I served with whipped cream and garnished with a few reserved berries.)

Herb Harvest

I think I may have already mentioned in a previous post that I gave up any attempts at vegetable gardening long ago.

Oh, for a while I’d get inspired by the balmy breezes of spring in Louisiana and plant some cucumbers, peppers, and the like. But then when about two weeks later, full-blown summer kicked in with the heat, humidity and mosquitoes, the vegetables were left to fend for themselves.

Now, I concentrate on one “crop”—herbs—and only three kinds: rosemary (Summer Jazz Brunch: Rosemary Cashews), basil, and parsley.

The rosemary can withstand my neglect, and our winters (ha!), and I have two huge bushes of it in the ground at the edge of our patio. The basil and parsley are in pots and are only a few steps from our living room French doors. Placing them so close means I am more inclined to brave the elements and actually water and “harvest” my crop.

Following are an entrée and 2 side dishes that feature my herbs.

Sautéed Chicken with Lemon-Rosemary Butter Sauce

Source: original recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to ½ -inch thickness, halved
2 tsp. olive oil
Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning or salt and pepper
Juice of one lemon
¼ c. chicken broth
2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped
1-2 T. butter, cut in small pieces

Process:

Season the chicken breasts with the Tony’s or salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and reduce the heat to low Simmer the garlic until light golden and very tender; remove from the pan. Increase the heat of the oil in the pan until sizzling and add the chicken. Sauté the chicken until lightly browned on both sides and juices run clear. Remove and cover. To the pan, add the lemon juice and rosemary; heat to boiling. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the reserved garlic and serve with rice or noodles if desired.

Roasted Asparagus with Parsley and Lemon Peel

Source: adapted from Food TV Magazine, March 2010

Yield: 2 servings


Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 tsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
¼ c. chopped parsley
grated zest of ½ lemon

Process:

Preheat oven to 450°. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Roast until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Mix the parsley and lemon zest. Sprinkle over the asparagus and serve.

Tomato Gratin with Basil

Source: adapted from Food TV Magazine, March 2010

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 pint grape tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 T. olive oil, divided
2 T. Italian breadcrumbs
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped, fresh basil
salt and pepper

Process:

With a knife, mash the garlic cloves with a sprinkling of salt and continue slicing and mashing to produce a paste. Toss the tomatoes with a scant tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet. Add the garlic paste. Cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes are soft, 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile mix 1 T. olive oil with the breadcrumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over the tomatoes and broil until the breadcrumbs are golden, about 2 minutes (but watch carefully). Sprinkle with the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cooks, Books, and Friends

Confession: I am somewhat of a groupie of female chefs.

I don’t mean I’m a follower of gimmicky Iron-Chef type female chefs prone to speed-chopping, foams, and gastriques. I mean female chefs who honor their local ingredients and local cuisines with simple, solid good cooking. Chefs who’ve carved out niches for themselves in a world long-dominated by their male counterparts.

Here’s the evidence:

Once I talked my husband into an eight-hour road trip to Atlanta to eat at Anne Quatrano’s Bacchanalia. The meal was well worth the drive, but when I saw the chef hurrying back into her kitchen, I felt like I had caught a glimpse of royalty.

When Odessa Piper, a chef in the Alice Waters tradition and then chef-owner of L’Etoile in Madison, Wisconsin, visited my table, I was so star-struck, I could barely ask for her autograph on my menu.

I recently attended a graduation ceremony at Loyola University where Leah Chase, chef and owner of Dooky Chase’s in New Orleans, received an honorary Ph.D. To me, it seemed perfectly appropriate that she was sharing the stage with Gov. Bobby Jindal and jazz legend Herbie Hancock.

And at least once a year, we make a pilgrimage to my personal Lourdes of restaurants, Susan Spicer’s Bayona on Dauphine Street in the French Quarter.

The first meal we savored there was shortly after its opening in 1990, and every meal we’ve eaten there since then has been memorable. I can still perfectly bring to my mind and taste buds a dessert that consisted of a trio of confections each flavored with lemon and a different herb.

So when Spicer’s cookbook Crescent City Cooking came out in 2007, I couldn’t wait to revisit some of those meals. There in its pages are some of the entrées we’ve enjoyed at Bayona, such as her Grilled Shrimp with Black Bean Cakes and Coriander Sauce and her Sautéed Sweetbreads with Sherry-Mustard Butter.

But there are also some dishes new to me, simple recipes that showcase the ingredients, not the chef or her dazzling technique. As crazy as it sounds, Spicer’s Slow-Scrambled Eggs are a revelation of simplicity, taste and texture.

Often when we dine at Bayona, Susan Spicer passes through the dining room greeting regular customers. And although we certainly don’t qualify as regulars, sometimes I catch her eye, and we smile and nod at each other. Then I usually make a joke to my husband about having said hello to my “old friend” Susan, but secretly I always wish it were the truth.

Happily, my friendship with Laurie Lynn Drummond is not a figment of my imagination. It is, however, rooted in many ways in food and books.

In the fall of 1989, I was newly transplanted to Baton Rouge, newly employed as a part-time English instructor at LSU, mother to a six-month-old daughter, and feverishly trying to complete my dissertation.

Most Saturdays and Sundays, my husband took care of our daughter while I worked on my dissertation which meant, in those pre-Starbucks, pre-laptop days, writing in longhand at a table at Highland Coffees, the new and first true coffee shop in Baton Rouge.

After spending several weekends at Highland Coffees, I began to recognize the regulars, in particular one woman whom I had also seen in the English Department. Emboldened by a couple of cappuccinos, I introduced myself, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Laurie, an ex-cop who was then completing her MFA in fiction at LSU, and I became fast friends. We soon found we had more in common than writing and grading student essays. We loved books, art, movies, and, of course, cooking.

How could I not be friends with a person who, shortly after we met, brought me an elegant home-made lunch of bread, salad, and the most wonderful spaghetti with vodka-tomato sauce which I reheated in the coffee shop microwave and gulped down.

On weekends, we’d work dutifully at our respective tables for hours, and then, as if on cue, join each other for a brief respite to compare our progress, or lack thereof, on our projects. Sometimes during the school week, we’d play hooky from our office hours to catch a movie or go clothes shopping at the old downtown Maison Blanche store.

And, of course, we shared many meals, some cooked by me, some cooked by Laurie.

When Laurie’s collection of short stories, Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You, came out to glowing reviews in 2004, I couldn’t wait to peer into the life she had lived as a Baton Rouge police officer, and I couldn’t wait to savor in full the writing talent I had tasted when she had allowed me to read early story drafts.

And, oh, what a talent! Each of her five female police officer protagonists are deftly drawn with authenticity and complexity, and the plots of the ten stories are gritty and poignant at the same time.

When Laurie moved to Austin, Texas, and then to Eugene, Oregon, I missed her deeply. And, not being the best correspondent or phone conversationalist, I worried that our season of friendship was over. However, I’ve happily learned over the years that with true friends, time and distance really don’t take much of a toll. Not only can you can pick up where you left off, but you also bring more “to the table” in terms of ideas and experiences to share.

So when my longtime and long-gone friend Laurie sat down at my table for dinner during her visit to Baton Rouge a few weeks ago, it seemed only natural that I would ask my “friend” Susan to cook for us--at least metaphorically.

Following is the menu, “we” served Laurie. (Hey, a girl can dream!)

I like the sort of French idea of serving “nibbles” before dinner, instead of full-fledged, and often heavy, appetizers. I served the pecans and cheese wafers with some marinated olives.

Spicer Pecans

Source: It may be sacrilegious, but this recipe is an adaptation of Spicer’s Cajun-spiced Pecans. I increased the amount of pecan halves (less buttery) and added the chili powder for a bit more “kick.”

These are great on salads and make a nice Christmas gift.

Yield: 1½ cups (can be doubled)

Ingredients:

1 T. butter
1½ c. pecan halves
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. chili powder

Process:

Preheat oven to 325°. Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Stir in the nuts to coat. Stir in the other ingredients. Spread the nuts on a large baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Bake 7-10 minutes. Cool nuts on paper towels. Store the nuts in an airtight container. (During high humidity, I store them in the refrigerator.)

Cheese Wafers

Source: There are lots of versions of this sort of recipe out there, including a parmesan and thyme version in Ina Garten’s new cookbook Back to Basics. This one I got from my mother-in-law Ruth.

Yield: approximately 2 dozen wafers (can be doubled)

Ingredients:

1 c. butter or margarine, softened
8-oz. block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I use the full amount)
1 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Process:

Beat butter and shredded Cheddar cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended; add remaining ingredients, beating until blended. Cover dough and chill 2 hours.

Shape dough into 8-inch logs approximately 1½-inch in diameter. (I had 3 logs.) Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours.

Cut each log into ½-inch-thick slices and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

(You may freeze the logs up to 1 week. Let dough stand 15 minutes before slicing into wafers; bake wafers as directed.)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This is the salad dressing used on the Bayona House Salad. For Laurie, I served a simple salad of baby greens, chopped scallions, halved grape tomatoes, and a sprinkling of salted sunflower kernels.

Source: Susan Spicer’s Crescent City Cooking

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:

2 T. balsamic vinegar
2T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. plus 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey
¾ c. olive oil
1 T. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper

Process:

Whisk together the vinegars, mustard, and honey in a small bowl, then gradually whisk in the olive oil. Taste the dressing and finish by adding the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Shrimp or Crayfish Clemenceau

I first tried Shrimp Clemenceau at Feelings Café in New Orleans, and I loved it! I’m assuming Spicer uses “crayfish” instead of “crawfish,” the more common term in Louisiana, to communicate to a broader, i.e. “Yankee,” audience.

Source: Susan Spicer’s Crescent City Cooking

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup diced potatoes (about ½-inch dice)
salt
3 T. olive oil
5 T. butter
½ pound button mushrooms, quartered
1 pound shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined, or 1 pound crayfish tails
2 c. peas (frozen or fresh)
pepper
hot sauce
1 med. shallot, finely diced
¼ c. white whine
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, finely chopped

Process:

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Place the potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with cold water; add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just cooked through (they will become opaque and should be tender, but not overly soft, when pierced with a paring knife.) Drain them, rinse with cold water, and cool. Pat the dice dry with paper towels. (The potatoes can be blanched in advance and held in water.)

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a medium skillet until hot but not smoking, and add the potatoes and 2 T. butter. Cook until evenly browned and crispy, and transfer to a large bowl. Keep them warm in the oven.

Return the skillet to the heat (no need to clean), pour in the remaining 2 T. olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until they are lightly browned and crispy. Add the mushrooms to the potatoes. Add the shrimp or crayfish tails to the skillet and cook a few more minutes. Add the peas, season lightly with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and transfer the mixture to the bowl of potatoes. Toss mixture to combine and return to oven to keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with the shallots, wine, and lemon juice and scrape up the bits. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 4 T. of liquid. Stir in the garlic, then whisk in the remaining 3 T. butter, a little a t a time, to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

Pour the sauce over the shrimp, sprinkle with stallions and serve immediately.

Chocolate Mousse

For this recipe, see "The Thais that Bind in Rhinelander." However, I didn’t have any brandy so I substituted rum and also sprinkled some crushed candy canes on the whipped cream for a seasonal touch.

A Mexi-Camp Menu

We have spent two years working on our camp--painting everything that is wood, sewing window treatments, installing a new bathroom sink, tiling a backsplash, repairing a variety of plumbing problems, having a boat slip built, resodding the lawn, and, most recently, having the place treated after a termite swarm.

Now, for my Yankee friends, I need to explain the term “camp.” It basically means a weekend place, usually on water. However, camps come in a variety of sizes, from small almost shed-like structures to palatial mansions reminiscent of Tara.

Our is in the medium range but perfect for us. And we were at last ready for our first official dinner party.

Realizing our camp would always be a “work in progress,” we decided to invite some of our nicest friends, friends who would applaud our efforts instead of noticing the “mushy” floors and the uneven kitchen counters.

I’m not sure why I always imagined our first camp dinner party would have a Mexican vibe—maybe because I wanted a “fiesta,” a celebration of a job (almost) well done.

We served sangria and beer with the empanadas and tortilla chips and salsa. After a leisurely boat ride, we served the Cheesy Jalapeño Bites with the soup, and then continued on to the enchiladas, salads, and, finally, dessert. It was a wonderful fiesta for our camp! Thank you Jan, Dennis and Sharon!

Sangria

The ingredient amounts are flexible. If possible, chill all the ingredients before mixing.

Source: original recipe

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

4 c. red wine
½ - 1 c. orange juice
½ - 1 c. lemonade (from a bottle or mixed from concentrate)
½ c. pineapple juice (optional)
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. brandy
1 c. club soda or sparkling water (optional)
Orange, lemon and/or lime slices for the pitcher and for garnishing the glasses

Process:

In a pitcher combine all the ingredients, except quarter or half-slices of the fruit to garnish the glasses. Add ice to the pitcher or glasses if desired.


Beef Empanadas

Source: original recipe

Yield: 30-36 empanadas

Ingredients:

One package (2 crusts) of refrigerated, rolled pie crusts
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 (15-oz.) can enchilada sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1-2 tsp. sugar
Salsa, to taste
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream, guacamole and/or additional salsa for serving

Process:

Preheat oven to 425.° In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef and onion, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender and translucent. Drain grease, if necessary. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the ground beef mixture is quite “dry.” Stir in cheese until melted.

Meanwhile, unroll the first pie crust on a lightly floured surface and roll slightly with a rolling pin. Cut the crust with a 2½ -3-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter. Repeat with other crust. Re-roll and cut scraps.

Place a scant teaspoon of the beef filling on one side of a piecrust round. Fold in half, sealing edges with your fingers. Place the empanada on a cookie sheet (either non-stick or lightly sprayed with cooking spray). Press the edge with the tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining piecrust rounds. Bake 15-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Serve immediately or at room temperature with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole, if desired.


Cheesy Jalapeño Bites

These “look” like individually prepared appetizers but with none of the work.



Source: a very old clipping

Yield: 16-24 pieces

Ingredients:

4 to 6 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
6 to 7 fresh Jalapeño peppers seeded and chopped (I’ve used jarred)

Process:

Spray 8 X 8 in baking dish with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Stir the cheese and chopped peppers into the beaten eggs; pour into baking dish. Bake at 325° for 18-20 minutes. The mixture will firm up as it bakes. Do not brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into 1-inch squares. The appetizers can be served warm or at room temperature.


Tomato-Orange Soup

Source: a very old clipping

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

4 c. chicken broth
1 28-oz.can whole peeled tomatoes with juices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. sugar
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
¼ c. orange juice
Sour cream and cilantro, for garnish

Combine broth, tomatoes with juice, onion, carrot, lemon peel, bay leaves and sugar in heavy, large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, breaking up tomatoes with spoon. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes.

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Add 1 c. soup and stir until smooth. Return mixture to remaining soup in saucepan. Simmer until soup thickens, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Working in batches, puree soup in blender or puree with hand-held immersion blender. Stir in orange juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve soup cold or bring to simmer and serve hot. (I served the soup cold garnished with a teaspoon of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.)


Chicken Enchiladas Suizas

Source: Colorado Collage Cookbook

Yield: 12-15 enchiladas, 6 servings

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 T. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
1 c. purchase green chile salsa
½ c. chopped cilantro
4 tsp. ground cumin
2-3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (I used the whole 3-oz. can!)
12-15 7-in flour tortillas
10 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 c. whipping cream
½ chicken broth

Process:

Place chicken in pan of rapidly boiling water to cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, cool, and shred. Preheat oven to 350°. In medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and peppers until just soft. Transfer to a large bowl. Add chicken, cheddar cheese, green chiles, salsa, cilantro, cumin, and chipotle chiles. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Grease 10X15-inch baking pan or 2 smaller pans. Place 1 flour tortilla on a flat surface and place about 1/3 c. chicken mixture along one edge. Roll up from filling side and place, seam side down, in pan. Repeat. Sprinkle Monterey Jack over enchiladas. (May be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance. Cover and chill.)

Combine cream and chicken broth and pour over enchiladas. Cover pan with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with tomatoes, if desired.


Black Bean & Rice Salad

Source: a very old clipping

Yield: 12 servings (I halved this for our party)

Ingredients:

2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth (3 cups)
½ c. water
1 ½ c. rice
2 bay leaves
2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained, rinsed
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 medium bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
½ c. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime (or more)
3 T. orange juice
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

Process:

Bring broth and water to boil in saucepan. Add rice and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Transfer rice to large bowl and fluff with fork. Mix in beans, peppers, onion, chopped cilantro. Mix oil, orange juice, vinegar, cumin and chili powder. Add to salad. (Add salsa for more kick and moisture.).


Tossed Salad with Orange Slices & Red Onions

Source: my friend Jan’s “famous” salad dressing + my salad ingredients

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

½ c. olive oil
½ c. sugar
¼ c. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. soy sauce

Assorted baby greens, enough for 6 people
One-half red onion, thinly sliced
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, sections cut in half
1 8-oz. can pitted black olives, drained, cut in half
½ c. salted sunflower kernels

Process:

Combine the olive oil, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in a jar with a lid. Shake until blended. Combine the greens, onion, oranges, olives and sunflower kernels in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing. Serve.


Pineapple-Coconut Chess Pie

Source: a very old clipping

Yield: one pie, 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 ½ c. sugar
3 T. cornmeal
2 T. flour
¼ tsp. salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ c. melted butter
1 (3.5-oz.) can flaked coconut
1 (15.25-oz.) can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell.
Whipped cream and toasted coconut for garnish, if desired

Process:

Combine sugar, cornmeal flour and salt in a large bowl; add eggs and vanilla, stirring until blended. Stir in butter, coconut and pineapple; pour into unbaked pastry shell. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until set, covering with aluminum foil after 40 minutes. Cool. (I often garnish the pie with whipped cream and toasted coconut.)

The Thais that Bind in Rhinelander

What do you do when you find yourself craving Thai food and the nearest Thai restaurant is hours away? Oh yeah, and you have no Thai cookbooks and only intermittent access to the internet?

You fake it, of course, which is what I did not once, but twice, during my week-long stay “home” in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

While I may be in the Northwoods, I am not in the backwoods. I was pleasantly surprised to find wonderful ingredients at THE local grocery store, Trigg’s, such as coconut milk, fish sauce, Thai green curry paste, udon noodles and lots of fresh herbs.

So I was able to prepare the following menu twice. It might be a little “faux” Thai, but it was easy and delicious.

First, I cooked this meal for my little sister Julie. Not only is she one of the few people left on this planet who have known and loved me for almost my entire life (I’m two years older), she is one of my partners in the lovely house on Lake Emma. And she also allowed me, and my sister Laura, to tag along on a trip to Thailand a few years ago. So she knows her Thai “flavor profiles.” (I learned that term from Top Chef.)

My second Guinea pig was my dear friend since 8th grade, Patti. Not only have we been friends forever, neither of us has changed a bit from those days at RHS. Go Hodags!

I'd be too embarassed to list this as a recipe, but as an appetizer, more like a snack, I combined equal parts goldfish crackers and wasabi peas. I call this mix "Fish and Bubbles," and the crackers nicely cut the heat of the wasabi peas.

Spinach Mushroom Soup with Udon Noodles

Source: I adapted this from a recipe in Kay Ewing’s Cooking School Cookbook. Kay Ewing teaches full participation menu classes in Baton Rouge, and this is my go-to cookbook.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 c. chicken broth
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. fresh baby spinach, torn slightly
½ tsp. sugar
1 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T. water
¼ tsp. sesame oil
1 pkg. refrigerated udon noodles, about 1 cup
¼ c. chopped green onion

Process:

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and add mushrooms, garlic, spinach, sugar, soy sauce and Tabasco sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Increase heat to a boil and add the udon noodles. Cook until the noodles are al dente. Meanwhile stir the cornstarch in the water to dissolve. Add to the soup in a slow, steady stream. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

Thai Cucumber and Pineapple Salad

Source: original recipe

Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 8-oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved
¼ c. fresh mint chopped
Juice of one lime
One-half fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely minced

Process:

Combine ingredients. May be made one day ahead of serving.

Thai Chicken Curry

Source: original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

½ lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. vegetable oil, divided
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ -1 c. chicken broth
½-1 c. light coconut milk
1-2 T. Thai green curry paste
1 T. sugar
1-2 T. fish sauce (or soy sauce to taste)
Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)
¼ c. chopped fresh basil
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro

Process:

Steam the green beans until crisp-tender. Refresh in cold water. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. of the vegetable oil in a wok. (I didn’t have a wok, so I used a very large pot to provide more surface area and contain splattering.) Stir fry the onions until they are crisp-tender and starting to brown. Remove from pot. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil to pot and stir fry the chicken until done and starting to brown. Add ½ c. chicken broth to the chicken and scrap up brown bits. Add the coconut milk. (I couldn’t find light coconut milk, so I was careful to NOT shake up the can and then drained the thick coconut “cream” from the milk.) Stir in the curry paste until dissolved. Add the sugar, fish sauce, Tabasco sauce and heat. Stir in the green beans and onions. Add more broth and coconut milk to achieve desired consistency. Stir in the basil and cilantro and serve with rice, preferably jasmine.

Chocolate Mousse

Source: I found this recipe in the current (October, 2009) issue of Gourmet magazine and couldn’t resist, even though it's not even close to being Thai. I halved the recipe by approximating with the eggs. Unfortunately, I only served Julie Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies for dessert.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), chopped
¾ stick unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 large, eggs, separated
1 T. Cognac or brandy
1 c. very cold heavy (whipping) cream
⅛ tsp. salt

Process:

Melt chocolate and butter in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, gently stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, beat yolks in a small bowl with an electric mixer until thick enough to form a ribbon that takes a few seconds to dissolve, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture along with the Cognac, then cool to warm. Beat cream in a medium bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Fold whipped cream and beaten whites into chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly. Transfer to stemmed glasses, 4-oz. ramekins, or a serving dish. Mousse can be chilled, its surface covered with parchment paper or plastic wrap up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.

Summer (Jazz) Brunch

Although school has started, here in Baton Rouge we have a lot of summer left, if only in terms of the hot weather.

So before I get crazy busy grading papers, I wanted to present this menu as a fun way to spend a lazy summer day.

But wait, there’s more! Along with the brunch menu, this post, a virtual buffet itself, includes:

• A food “memory” – “Melon Balls and the Berlin Wall”
• A menu for a “Champagne Bar"
• Several recipes
• Two,count them, two playlists

Melon Balls and the Berlin Wall

It may be sort of an “old school” gadget, but I love using my melon-baller. I think there’s nothing prettier than a huge bowl, or carved out watermelon, of relatively uniform orbs of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. (A recipe for this type of salad follows.)

But, oddly enough, my melon-baller is also a kitchen tool that evokes very powerful memories and emotions for me.

(Big leap coming up here—stay with me, people.)

When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, people all over the world rejoiced, but this event had special significance for our family since it meant that for the first time my husband’s Aunt Annalise and her husband Uncle Werner could leave their home in East Germany to visit us in the United States.

In 1951, before the wall was erected, my mother-in-law Ruth had paid someone to sneak her across the border into West Germany. Ruth began a new life in Munich where she later met my father-in-law who was a GI stationed there after the war.

After Ruth became a U.S. citizen, she was permitted to visit her family, and her mother, being over 65, was allowed to visit the United States once. However, it was not until the Berlin wall came down that Ruth’s sister and brother were able to leave East Germany.

When Aunt Annalise and Uncle Werner came to the U.S. to visit in October of 1990, we were overjoyed that they came with Bill’s parents from Georgia to spend a few days with us here in Baton Rouge.

Since Aunt Annalise and Uncle Werner speak no English, Ruth had to take on the role of the interpreter which I know was challenging. Sometimes she would look at me and speak German and at her sister and speak English.

But enthusiasm, love, and gestures went a long way in helping us converse with each other. Our daughter Erin was about a year and half then, and there’s nothing like a toddler twirling in the middle of the living room to give the grownups the impression that they are speaking the same language.

Another way we communicated was through food. For one of the meals we shared with them, my husband and I planned a hearty American cookout and purchased a couple of huge rib eye steaks (which we thought would serve several people) and several chicken breasts to put on the grill.

We, of course, let our German relatives serve themselves first, and we were surprised, but ultimately delighted, that Uncle Werner and Aunt Annalise each took one of the two steaks for themselves. When they ate those steaks entirely—fat, gristle, and marrow—we began to realize how constrained their existence in East Germany had been.

Of the several side dishes we served, and one which our aunt and uncle ate with gusto, was a melon ball salad. Aunt Annalise and Uncle Werner seemed to chat with my mother-in-law specifically about this salad, and I was pleased to have pleased them.

Before they returned home, our German relatives did lots of shopping for things they had not been able to buy—pantyhose, coffee, chocolate, and fresh fruit. Later my mother-in-law told me that one of the items Aunt Annalise had insisted on buying was a melon-baller.

At first I was somewhat condescendingly amused. How quaint that something so simple had impressed my German relatives. But soon the melon-baller came to symbolize the fact that while we in the U.S. had always lived in relative luxury, they had lived with depravation and discouragement almost every day. I was humbled and grateful.

In 1995, I traveled with my mother-in-law to her hometown of Stumsdorf, and in 2005, we returned with my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, his wife and son, and my husband and daughter. We were happy to note the significant improvements in our German family’s way of life.

Although the language barrier remained, love was communicated in countless ways, especially around the dinner table. We shared juicy sausauges, schnitzel and spaetzle, crusty brötchen (rolls), delicious cakes--and a melon ball salad.

Champagne Bar Menu

What would be the point of a brunch if there wasn’t champagne? Although I did offer Bloody Marys, white wine and Pimm’s Cups, the big hit was the champagne bar I set up which included the following add-ins:



• Crème de cassis – for Kir Royales
• Cognac and Grand Mariner – for Champagne Cocktails
• Orange juice – for Mimosas
• Honeydew melon puree – for Honeydew Melon Bellinis
• Optional garnishes: raspberries, honeydew melon cubes
• Champagne (or other sparkling wine, such as Proseco or Cava) – 8 guests drank 6 bottles of champagne, but I would have an extra bottle or two on hand.

The recipes for these drinks are easily available on-line. I printed out the recipes on half of a piece of cardstock and “tented” it so it could stand next to the ingredients. A few guests tried all four cocktails!

Summer Brunch Menu

This menu showcases the fresh ingredients that summer, and farmers’ markets, offers us.

• Several types of olives or olive mixes (purchased)
• Rosemary Cashews (recipe follows or purchased seasoned nuts)
• Iced Yogurt Soup with Mint (recipe follows)
• BLT Quiches (recipe follows, I made two)
• Minted Fruit Salad (recipe follows)
• Tomato & Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• A fruit quick bread
• S’More Tart (recipe follows)

Brunch Recipes

Rosemary Cashews

One of the reasons I love inviting guests for brunch is that I don’t feel compelled to go all multi-course, especially when it comes to appetizers. So I take advantage of the gourmet sections of grocery stores, especially Whole Foods, and the Baton Rouge Farmers’ Market. A cheese torta with crackers or a crudité platter would be fine additions, but olives and these nuts are enough by themselves.

Rosemary is one of those effortless herbs that even a non-gardener like myself can maintain. I’ve had best success in planting pretty substantial plants in the ground in the winter when the temperatures here are milder. The roots go deep, and before you know it you will have a bush that can withstand neglect. The aroma is so captivating, I often just pluck a few sprigs when I’m in the backyard and rub it on my wrists as a wonderful, natural fragrance.

Source: Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris

Yield: serves 8

Ingredients:

1 lb. roasted unsalted cashews
2 T. minced fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (I use ¼ tsp.)
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. unsalted butter melted

Process:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the cashews out on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter. Thoroughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve warm.

Cold Yogurt Soup

A soup course is not really necessary for a brunch, but this recipe is easy, light, and brings together some wonderful summer ingredients.

Source: Julie Sahni’s Indian Regional Classics

Yield: serves 4 (can be doubled)

Ingredients:

2 c. yogurt
1 c. buttermilk
¼ c. ice water
2 tsp. honey or sugar
½ tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. ground toasted cumin seeds* (Do not substitute ground cumin.)
2 T. minced mint
1 c. grated cucumber, drained
½ c. finely diced red bell pepper
¼ c. thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
½ c. toasted chopped walnuts or cashews (I omit this)
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Process:

Whisk together the yogurt, buttermilk, ice water, honey, slat, cumin, min, cucumber, bell pepper, and scallions in a large bowl. Transfer to a chilled soup tureen or individual soup bowls. Sprinkle with nuts (if using), garnish with mint sprigs, and serve. (I have found that this soup can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated.)

* To toast the cumin seeds: place the cumin seeds in a small dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Toast, stirring and shaking, until the seeds are several shades darker and give off their characteristic aroma. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Using a spice mill, a clean coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle, grind to a fine powder.

BLT Quiche

When I was a kid, my absolute favorite sandwich was a BLT, and it still is today.I recently “learned”
from one of those ridiculous Facebook quizzes that people who prefer BLTs are obsessive-compulsive. I ask, “And your point is?” Anyway, I made up this quiche recipe to include the B and the L (in the form of spinach) and the T in a great brunch entrée.

Source: original recipe

Yield: one quiche (serves 4)

Ingredients:

½ lb. bacon, chopped
1 pkg. fresh spinach, large stems removed
½ jar oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
1½ c. half and half or whipping cream
3 eggs
3 pinches kosher salt
1 9-inch frozen pie crust, thawed (I prefer the kind you roll out.)

Process:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Fit the pie crust into 9-inch glass pie plate. Crimp the edges (and no one will know it’s not homemade!). Brown the bacon in a medium skillet. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain all but about 1 T. of the bacon fat from the pan. Sauté the spinach in the bacon fat. Lightly salt and pepper the spinach and then drain it on paper towels. Drain the tomatoes on paper towels. Blend the cream, eggs and salt in a medium bowl. Spread the spinach on the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle the bacon and then the tomatoes over the spinach. Slowly pour the egg-cream mixture over the other ingredients. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Minted Fruit Salad

Source: Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins’ The Silver Palate Cook Book

Yield: 12 portions

Ingredients:

1 pint strawberries
3 kiwis
1 medium-size ripe cantaloupe
1 medium-size ripe honeydew melon
Handful of fresh mint leaves
½ c. fresh orange juice
½ c. fresh lemon juice
3 T. sugar

Process:

Wash, drain and hull the strawberries. Peel the kiwis and slice thin, reserving 1 sliced kiwi for garnish. With a melon-baller, cut balls from the cantaloupe and honeydew melons. Mix al the fruits together except for the reserved kiwi. Chop the mint leaves and tender stems very fine and sprinkle on the fruits. Mix the orange and lemon juices with the sugar and pour over all. Toss the salad gently and thoroughly. Arrange the reserved kiwi slices on top and garnish with a fresh mint leaf. Chill for 2 to 3 hours and serve cold.

S’More Tart

I don’t care how old you are or how far away from a campfire you are, S’Mores scream summer. Although meringues can be a little “iffy” in summer humidity, in this recipe the topping is worth the risk and a sophisticated stand-in for marshmallows.

If you are pressed for time, a 9-inch pre-made graham cracker crust could be used. Just proceed to the filling and meringue, and call this a pie, instead of a tart.

Source: crust & meringue adapted from Kay Ewing’s A Second Course, filling from “Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Tart” (Bon Appétit, July 2008)

Yield: one 9” tart

Crust Ingredients:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs (15 rectangles or 30 squares)
2 T. sugar
½ c. butter, melted.

Process:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Add sugar and melted butter and mix to combine. Press into the bottom and half way up the sides of a greased 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place a piece of foil under the pan to catch any drippings. Bake 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Filling Ingredients:

½ c. heavy whipping cream
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ½ tsp. strong coffee or Kahlúa (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Process:

Meanwhile, bring cream just to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool ganache 15 minutes. Spoon chocolate ganache into crust and smooth top.

Meringue Ingredients:

4 egg whites
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
½ c. sugar

Increase oven temperature to 425°. Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with electric mixer. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue gently around the crust, not the pan. Add the remaining meringue to the center of the tart to cover the filling. Swirl the top of the meringue with the back of the pan. Bake 5 minutes, watching closely. Just until browned. Cool the tart on a rack. If after 10 minutes the meringue is shrinking from the edges, release the crust from the edge of the pan and use a small knife to push the meringue to the edges to the tart to seal. Cool to room temperature. Slice into 6-8 portions.

Jazz Playlist

My daughter Erin, an accomplished jazz pianist, has introduced me to lots of great jazz musicians, and my iPod is the beneficiary of her musical explorations. But music at a dinner party should be more background than foreground, so I tend to favor pianists. Nothing too bebop, but not Muzak either. I suggest anything or everything from the following albums:

• Conversations with Myself – Bill Evans
• Expressions – Chick Corea
• Time Out - Dave Brubeck Quartet
• The Very Best - Thelonious Monk
• The Real McCoy - McCoy Tyner
• Listen Here! – Eddie Palmieri
• V.S.O.P.: The Quintet – Herbie Hancock
• Up for It – Keith Jarrett

Summer Playlist

If jazz is not your thing, here’s a playlist of tunes referencing summer and sun. Some of them are pretty “cheesy,” but that makes it just the more fun. These are great played in any order, but it’s especially fun to begin and end with the two versions of “Summertime Blues.” Download and enjoy!

• “Summertime Blues” – Alan Jackson
• “Summer of ‘69” – Bryan Adams
• “Summer in the city” – The Lovin’ Spoonful
• “All Summer Long” – The Beach Boys
• “Summer Breeze” – Seals & Crofts
• “Hot Fun in the Summertime” - Sly & The Family Stone
• “School’s Out” – Alice Cooper
• “Summer (Can’t Last Too Long)” – Asia
• “Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles
• “Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” – Nat “King” Cole
• “A Summer Song” – Chad & Jeremy
• “Sunshine of Your Love” – Cream
• “The Boys of summer” – Don Henley
• “Vacation” – The Go-Go’s
• “In the Summertime” – Mungo Jerry
• “Soak Up the Sun” – Sheryl Crow
• “Summer” – War
• “Summer Wind” – Frank Sinatra”
• “Summer Nights” – John Travolta & Olivia Newton John
• “Summertime Blues” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts