Zucchini Bread with Grilled Fig and Goat Cheese

Recipe adapted from Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin, TX

2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ medium lemon, zested
3 eggs
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon baking soda
1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
8 fresh figs, sliced in half lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ pound sliced ash-covered goat cheese (such as Ste. Maure)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the butter with the brown sugar, granulated sugar and lemon zest until the butter is lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Fold the flour mixture and the grated zucchini into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9-inch loaf pan and place in the oven. Bake until the top is browned and the bread is cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely before slicing into ½-inch slices.

On a hot grill pan or outdoor grill, brush the figs with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and grill until the figs are warmed and start to caramelize, about 20 seconds. Lay the zucchini-bread slices on the grill and grill until warm and grill marks form, about 1 minute. Arrange the grilled figs and zucchini-bread slices on a plate alongside the goat cheese and serve immediately.

Fresh Lemon Mousse and Sweetened Whipped Cream

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

3 extra-large whole eggs
3 extra-large eggs, separated
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
Kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup good bottled lemon curd, at room temperature
Sweetened Whipped Cream, recipe follows
Sliced lemon, for garnish

In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together the 3 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture is thick like pudding. (I change to a whisk when the mixture starts to get thick.) Take off the heat and set aside for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until completely chilled.

Place half the *egg whites and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until the whites are stiff and shiny. Carefully fold the beaten whites into the cold lemon mixture with a rubber spatula. Place the cream in the same bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (no need to clean the bowl) and beat on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the lemon mixture. Fold in the lemon curd, and pour into a 7-inch-diameter, 3-inch-deep souffle dish. Decorate with sweetened whipped cream and lemon slices that have been cut into quarters. Chill and serve cold.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium and then high speed until the cream just forms still peaks. Spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.

Sweet Potato, Ricotta, and Arugula Flatbread

Recipe from Faith Durand, The Kitchn

1 lb pizza dough
1 sweet potato (roughly 10 ounces)
1 cup ricotta
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, loosely packed
2 oz arugula (two big handfuls)
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a baking stone, set it in the oven now.

Use your hands to gently press the pizza dough into a large oval. If the dough starts to spring back, let it rest for a few minutes and then try again. I prefer to roll the dough on top of a piece of parchment paper to make it easier to shuttle the pizza into the oven.

Peel the sweet potato and slice it into thin 1/8" coins (or use a mandoline). Toss the coins with a little olive oil in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the thyme into the ricotta.

Spread the ricotta mixture across the top of the dough. Arrange the sweet potato coins in slightly overlapping layers on top. Sprinkle the entire surface with a little salt.

Bake for 7 minutes and rotate the flatbread. Bake for another 7-8 minutes until the edges of the bread are turning golden and the sweet potatoes are soft. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for one more minute.

Scatter the arugula on top of the flatbread as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let it stand for a few minutes before cutting for the arugula to wilt. Slice and serve either warm or room temperature.

Oatmeal Bread

Recipe adapted from Farmgirl

4½ cups very hot water (can also use milk)
2½ cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 Tablespoon (3/8 oz/11 g) instant yeast (slightly more if using active dry yeast)
6 to 7 cups bread flour (6 cups = 1 lb, 15 oz/871 g)
1 Tablespoon salt

Combine oats, oat bran, brown sugar, and butter in a very large bowl. Add hot water and stir until combined. Let sit until about 80°F, about 30 minutes.

Combine yeast with 2 cups of flour and salt and stir into oat mixture. Continue stirring in flour one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Cover dough with the bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle flour in the dough bowl, place the dough in it, liberally dust it with flour, and cover it with a damp towel. Ferment (first rise): Approximately 1½ hours if dough is at an optimal 70 to 75°F. When the dough is ready, you should be able to push your finger deep into it and leave an indentation that does not spring back.

Divide and shape into three loaves. Remember to be gentle with the dough. Your goal is to form an even loaf with a taut skin, while leaving some larger air holes inside. Place logs seam side down in greased loaf pans. Brush tops of loaves with water and sprinkle with oats, if desired.

Proof (second rise): Approximately 1 hour if dough is 70 to 75°F. The loaves are ready for baking when you make a slight indentation with your finger in the dough and it does not spring back. Note: this dough will not rise a whole lot while baking, so you want your loaves to be nearly finished size before you put them in the oven.

Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow if tapped. Remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack. Try to wait at least 40 minutes before cutting into a loaf. Store at room temperature or freeze.

Glazed Carrots with Cardamom and Ginger

Recipe by Shawn McClain from Food & Wine

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cardamom pods
3 pounds carrots, sliced on the diagonal 1/3 inch thick (you can also use baby carrots left whole)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the ginger, garlic and cardamom and cook over moderate heat until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and sugar and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and orange juices and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover with parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid and cook the carrots over low heat until tender, about 12 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat until the carrots are glazed, about 5 minutes longer. Discard the ginger and cardamom pods, transfer to a bowl and serve.

The carrots can be refrigerated overnight. Rewarm before serving.

Bruschetta with Rosemary, Roasted Plum Tomatoes, Ricotta and Prosciutto

Recipe from Bon Appétit  | August 2010

6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), quartered lengthwise
12 1/2-inch-thick diagonally cut baguette slices (each 3 to 4 inches long)
12 tablespoons ricotta cheese, divided
6 thin prosciutto slices, cut in half crosswise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup microgreens or baby arugula

Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir 6 tablespoons oil, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Add tomato quarters and stir to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lift tomatoes from marinade and arrange, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet (reserve marinade for toasts).

Roast tomatoes until skin is browned and blistered and tomatoes are very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool tomatoes on sheet. Maintain oven temperature.

Meanwhile, arrange bread slices on another rimmed baking sheet. Brush top of each with reserved marinade (including garlic and rosemary bits).

Roast bread until top is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool toasts on sheet.

Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese on each toast; sprinkle with pepper. Fold prosciutto halves over and place on ricotta. Arrange 2 tomato quarters atop prosciutto. Whisk lemon juice and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in medium bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Add microgreens and toss to coat. Top bruschetta with microgreens. Arrange on platter and serve.

Fish Tacos

Recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter

A bunch of cilantro
Juice of 5 limes
1/3 cup of olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for cooking
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 jalapeño or 3 red fresno chili peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
Coarse salt
2 pounds halibut, finely diced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup white wine

Combine the cilantro, lime juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, onion, garlic, chili, garlic powder, cumin and paprika together in a blender with a large pinch of salt and puree until thoroughly combined and smooth. Set the mixture aside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot and add the halibut. Cook, stirring now and then, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Pour over the reserved cilantro mixture, stir gently just to combine and cook for just another minute to let all the flavors say hello. Serve immediately with deep-fried flour tortillas, crema fresca (or sour cream), cotija cheese, and a fresh pico de gallo with chunks of avocado (mix equal parts diced tomatoes and avocado and then season with salt, pepper, fresh cilantro, lime and diced red onion).