Curried Sweet Potato Latkes

(recipe from a magazine, not sure which one)

1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 small onion
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

Peel and shred the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.  Grate or shred the onion, and add to the sweet potatoes along with the raisins and flour.

Separately in a small bowl, beat the eggs with the curry powder and salt.

Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and mix with your hands or a spoon.

Warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drop 1/3-cupfuls of mixture into skillet and fry, pressing with a spatula to flatten, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Keep warm in a 200F oven until ready to serve.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

(Since one of my least favorite things is frying patties in a skillet, I put the entire sweet potato mixture in a large pie plate and baked in a 350F oven for 45 minutes.  Then cut into wedges.  Very delicious!)

Roasted Cherry Tomato Clafoutis

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

1 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme (I used less, dried)
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 large eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 oz. grated Manchego cheese
5 basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400F.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes and garlic with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes, then transfer tomatoes and juices to a straight-sided 9-inch-round (2-inch-deep)  baking dish and let cool slightly.  Decrease oven temperature to 350F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cornstarch, coconut milk, cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, and herbs.  Pour mixture over slightly cooled tomatoes.

Bake until top is golden brown and edges are puffed, 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Dried Cranberry, Apricot, and Fig Stuffing

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1 lb. Granny Smith apples (about 2 medium), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh marjoram
1 cup (or more) vegetable broth
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup diced stemmed dried figs
6 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust
6 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old cornbread
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and celery.  Saute until tender, about 12 minutes.  Add apples and all herbs.  Saute until apples just begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  (DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Transfer to medium bowl, cover, and chill.)

Mix 1 cup broth and dried fruit in bowl.  Let soak at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total.  Transfer to a very large bowl and cool.

Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Stir vegetable mixture into bread.  Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend; whisk in broth and dried fruit mixture.  Add egg misture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry.  Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish.

Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(I made this for Thanksgiving dinner 2017 in Vermont with Sage and her parents.  It was tasty, and a big hit!  You can make it using regular bread for all 12 cups, but the cornbread adds a bit of character.)

Parsnip-Golden Beet Latkes

(recipe from Parade Magazine)

3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
big pinch freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. golden beets (about 3), peeled and shredded
3/4 lb. parsnips (about 2 large), peeled and shredded
3 eggs, beaten
Olive oil, for cooking

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Squeeze shredded beets dry in a clean kitchen towel.  Toss beets and parsnips together in the bowl with the flour mixture; stir in beaten eggs.

Warm 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drop 1/4-cupfuls of mixture into skillet and cook, pressing with a spatula to flatten, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Keep warm in a 200F oven until ready to serve.

(Optional:  Stir 2 Tbsp. each grated horseradish and finely chopped parsley into 1/2 cup sour cream and serve on the side.)

Feta and Fresh Herb Quick Bread

(recipe from chocolateandzucchini.com)

a pat of unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 large organic eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. plain unsweetened yogurt
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
7 oz. sheep's milk feta cheese (or substitute goat cheese)
1 bunch fresh herb leaves (flat-leaf parsley, basil, chervil, chives, mint - preferably a mix!), about 1 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and sprinkle half the sesame seeds onto the bottom and sides, shaking the pan to coat.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, yogurt, salt, and pepper.  Stir in the cheese and herbs.

Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture.  Don't overmix the batter, it's okay if a few lumps remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds.

Put into the oven to bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the loaf is golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool for a few minutes and run a knife around the pan to loosen.  Unmold and transfer to a rack to cool.

Cut into slices or cubes just before serving, slightly warm or at room temperature.  The bread can be made a day ahead.  Wrap tightly and keep in the fridge. 

(Comes together easily.  A nice way to use up any leftover herbs in the fridge.  Tangy and refreshing - especially with mint!)

Shakshuka

(recipe from davidlebovitz.com)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 - 1 chile pepper (or to taste), stemmed, sliced in half and deseeded, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. paprika, smoked or sweet
1 tsp. caraway seeds, crushed
1 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed, or 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cored and diced, or two 14-oz. cans of diced or crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. red wine or cider vinegar
1 cup loosely packed greens, such as radish greens, watercress, kale, Swiss chard, or spinach, coarsely chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, cut in generous, bite-sized cubes (I omitted this)
4 to 6 eggs

In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and wilted.  Add the chile pepper, salt, pepper, and spices.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to release their fragrance.

Add the fresh or canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened somewhat but is still loose enough so that when you shake the pan it sloshes around. (Fresh tomatoes may take a little longer to cook than canned.)  Stir in the chopped greens.

If you want to finish the Shakshuka on the stovetop, turn off the heat and press the cubes of feta into the tomato sauce.  With the back of a spoon, make 6 indentations in the sauce.  Crack an egg into each indentation, then drag a spatula gently through the egg whites so it mingles a bit with the tomato sauce, being careful not to disturb the yolks.

Turn the heat back on so the sauce is at a gentle simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, taking some of the tomato sauce and basting the egg whites from time-to-time.  Cover, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

TO FINISH THEM INDIVIDUALLY:  Preheat the oven to 375F.  Divide the sauce into 6 individual baking dishes and press the feta cubes into the sauce.  Set the baking dishes on a baking sheet, make an indentation in each, and crack an egg into the center.  Bake until the eggs are cooked to you liking, basting the whites with some of the sauce midway during baking, which will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes - but begin checking them sooner to get them just right.  If the yolks begin to get a little firm on top before the whites are cooked, drape a sheet of foil over them, but avoid having it touch the yolks.

Serve with lots of crusty bread for scraping up the sauce.

(Such a flavorful sauce!  Very delicious and satisfying.)

Deviled Eggs

(I cobbled this together from internet recipes)

1 dozen eggs
1/3 cup mayo
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, to taste

Place eggs in a large pot; cover with water by and inch or two.  Bring water to a rolling boil.  (You can put 1/2 tsp. salt or 1 tsp. vinegar in the water to help the shells become easier to peel.)  Turn off the heat, cover, and allow to sit for 12-15 minutes.

Drain eggs.  Fill pot with cold water and allow eggs to cool.

Peel eggs.  Cut each in half lengthwise.  Remove yolks, place them in a medium bowl, and mash them.  Set whites aside on a dish.  Add remaining ingredients to mashed yolks and mix thoroughly.  Spoon yolk mixture into egg white hollows.  Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

(Tangy and delicious!)

Andrew Feinberg's Slow-Baked Broccoli Frittata

(recipe from Food 52)

10 large eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (I left this out)
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste (I halved this amount, and still found it to be a little too salty)
40 turns from a black pepper mill (I halved this as well)
7 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium (1 lb.) head of broccoli (4 cups once trimmed)
1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly
1 heaping Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/8 tsp. plus a large pinch of dried chile flakes
1 squeeze lemon, to taste, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Crack the eggs and whisk together with the Parmigiano, salt, and black pepper, and set aside.

Trim 1/2 inch off the stem of the broccoli.  Using a knife, separate all the florets from the base leaving the stem attached and then cut floret pieces in half (you can cut any especially large ones in quarters so all are evenly sized.)  In a 10- to 11-inch oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the broccoli in 4 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Let the broccoli develop a nice brown color on one side, then turn everything over and season to taste with salt.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the broccoli until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  In a separate 10- to 11-inch sauté pan, cook the onion in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, adding salt to taste.  Cook the onions for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat until lightly browned.  Reserve onions on the side.

Once the broccoli is fully roasted and tender, transfer the sauté pan back to the stovetop and reduce the oven temperature to 300F.

Over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the broccoli pan and add the garlic and chile.  Cook the garlic and chile for 1 minute carefully so as not to burn the garlic.  Add the cooked onions to the sauté pan with the broccoli and mix well.  Add the egg and cheese mixture and let cook for 30 seconds over high heat.

Transfer the pan to the 300F oven and let the frittata cook until the eggs are just set.  Should be about 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and then turn the frittata out with a rubber spatula onto a serving plate.  Squeeze lemon juice over the top.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle Parmigiano over the top to taste, optional.

(Found!  The secret to an amazing frittata: a longer bake in a lower oven!  Amazing custard-like texture.)

Mushroom & Wild Rice Frittata

(partial recipe clipped from a magazine, not sure which one)

Wild rice:
2 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed
1/8 tsp. salt

Frittata:
6 large eggs
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried
1 lb. mixed mushrooms (cremini, white button, shiitake), sliced


To prepare wild rice, combine water, rice and salt in a small heavy saucepan; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender with a slight bite, 40 to 50 minutes.  Drain.

[At this point, I seem to have lost the rest of the recipe as it continued onto another page.  What follows is my own directions:]

Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat the eggs in a large bowl, set aside.  Sautee the remaining ingredients in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Once onions and mushrooms are tender, add drained rice, and stir to combine well.  Pour eggs into the skillet.  Remove the skillet from the burner and put into oven.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until eggs are set.

(Very tasty frittata!)

Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes)

(recipe from Food52.com)

Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sriracha, more or less to taste

Pancakes:
5 large eggs
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
3/4 cup (roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
oil for frying
1-2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Whisk the first set of ingredients together and voila, your sauce.  Set aside while you make the pancakes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt.  Gradually add the flour until incorporated.  Fold in the cabbage, scallions, and shrimp.

Warm a couple glugs of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening.  Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes.  I usually make them about the size of a saucer.  Cook on each side for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest.  Scatter sesame seeds on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce.

(So yummy!  Kind of a pain to make.  The batter is runny, but I made my pancakes a bit smaller and babysat them a little, wielding a spatula to corral the runny batter in the pan.  They set pretty quickly, and I got into a rhythm.  Also, I mixed the sesame seeds right into the batter.  I ate a few warm, and the rest cold from the fridge, dipped in the spicy sauce.  Yum!)

Deviled Eggs

(recipe from Real Simple magazine)

1 dozen eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. minced fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. mustard seeds
dash of Tabasco

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover and remove from heat.  Set aside for 15 minutes.

Drain the pan and fill with cold water.  Peel the eggs when cool enough to handle.  Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks.  Mix the yolks with the other ingredients.  Spoon the mixture into the whites and serve.

(Not vegan, no, but I just love deviled eggs.  So, I used Vegenaise, probably double the amount, and replaced tarragon with sage, and used some cayenne pepper instead of the Tabasco.  But it's hard to mess up deviled eggs, so all was well.)

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes

(recipe from Smitten Kitchen, adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

7 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
butter
maple syrup

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; you want it to slowly get nice and hot.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in the bottom of a medium bowl.  Dump the sour cream in on top and stir it together very gently; it's okay to leave the texture a bit uneven.  Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and stir them into the sour cream mixture, once again, being careful not to overmix.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in your skillet or griddle and pour the batter in, a scant 1/4 cup at a time.  Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until bubbles appear all over the surface, flipping them carefully and cooking for about a minute on the other side.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve in a stack, topped with a pat of butter and a cascade of maple syrup.

(Again, not vegan: I wanted to use up the sour cream and butter remaining from my peach tart on a new recipe...  A bit of a treat for myself in the morning!  I didn't have enough sour cream, but swapped in some coconut milk to make up the difference, to no ill effect.  These are odd, eggy pancakes, but pancakes nonetheless, and delicious.  I also added a few tablespoons of wheat germ that I wanted to get rid of, making them a bit toothy.)

Makes 12 4-inch pancakes, 8 5-inch pancakes, or so.

Vellutata di Asparagi (asparagus soup with fried eggs)

(recipe from La Cucina Italiana magazine)

This recipe calls for a very detailed presentation involving toasts and eggs.  I am typing the recipe as is, but I did not use eggs or bread.  Instead, I just blended all of the asparagus and ate as a blended soup only.  Also, I used vegetable broth instead of water.

1 mini baguette
2 1/2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
sea salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
freshly ground white peppercorns
4 large eggs

Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) slices from the baguette and lightly toast.  Save remaining baguette for another use.

Cut all but 8 asparagus into 1-inch lengths.  In a medium saucepan bring 3 1/3 cups water, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a boil; add chopped asparagus and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.  In batches, carefully puree soup until creamy and smooth.  Return soup to pot and cover to keep warm.

Cut remaining asparagus in half, lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise; place in a large skillet.  Add water to come halfway up sides of pan, 1 Tbsp. oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Simmer until tender, about 3 minutes, then drain.

In a large nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining Tbsp. oil; sprinkle with salt.  Gently warm soup, stirring, then ladle into bowls.  Top with asparagus, fried eggs, and toasts.  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper.  Serve hot.

(This is a nice way to take advantage of the springtime sales on asparagus.  An elegant, subtle soup.)

The Winning Hearts And Minds Cake

(recipe from A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg)

"This recipe is as simple as can be:  all it takes is five ingredients, a bowl, a spoon, and a cake pan.  Because it's all about chocolate, you'll want a good one whose flavor you love, with 60 to 70% cocoa solids.  I like Scharffen Berger quite a bit, but in a pinch, I've also used Ghirardelli 60% chips.  They have a nice flavor and are very inexpensive, and you don't even have to chop them, which saves a lot of time.
Also, note that this cake freezes surprisingly well.  In fact, its texture and flavor are actually improved by freezing.  Try to make it far enough in advance that you can freeze it for at least a day or so, and be sure to allow 24 hours for it to then return to room temperature before serving.  It's worth the trouble."

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 3/4 sticks (7 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375F, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan.  Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and butter the paper, too.

Put the chocolate and butter in a medium microwavable bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring often, until just smooth.  (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, barely simmering water.)  When the mixture is smooth, add the sugar, stirring well to incorporate.  Set the batter aside to cool for 5 minutes.  Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition.  Add the flour and stir to mix well.  The batter should be dark and silky.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly crackled, the edges are puffed, and the center of the cake looks set.  I usually set the timer for 20 minutes to start with, and then I check the cake every 2 minutes after that, until it's ready.  At 20 minutes, the center of the cake is usually still quite jiggly; you'll know it's done when the center only jiggles slightly, if at all.

Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack, and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Carefully turn it out of the pan and then flip it onto a serving plate, so that the crackly side faces up.  Since the cake is fairly delicate, this can be tricky, but I've found that the easiest way is as follows.

Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan, and place a large, flat plate - not the serving plate - on top of the foil, facing down.  (A small sheet pan would also work.)  Hold the cake pan and plate firmly together and quickly, carefully, flip them.  The pan should now be on top of the plate, with the foil between them.  Remove the pan, revealing the cake, which is now upside-down.  Remove the parchment paper.  Place the serving plate gently atop the cake.  Wedging your index fingers between the plates to keep from squishing the cake, flip them so that the cake is now right side up.  Remove the foil.

Cool completely before serving, preferably with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Note:  This cake can be kept at room temperature, sealed in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days, or it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.  (Be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.)  To freeze it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and it will keep for up to a month.  Before serving, defrost at room temperature for 24 hours, still fully wrapped.

(No, this is not vegan!  I made this cake for Ashley's birthday; our celebration was held out on Diamond Cove island at Alison's parents' place.  Molly, herself, says this cake is "no beauty queen", but it is decadent (nearly half a pound of chocolate!!) and delicious.  I made it ahead and froze it for a few days, as recommended.  Since it thaws still wrapped tightly, I transported it on the ferry still wrapped on a plate, and it was a cinch.  We served it topped with homemade whipped cream and sliced strawberries, and birthday candles, of course!  It is surprisingly light and airy, kind of like a more solid mousse.  A big hit!  Almost the entire cake was eaten in the one evening.  I, myself, had two servings.  A real treat.  Also, I used the Ghirardelli 60% chips, which were, indeed, super easy since no chopping was needed.)