Apricot Ginger Pulled Pork

The night before, marinate pork shoulder with:
6 oz apricot juice
2 T hungarian green peppers diced
3 T ginger
the top of a bulb of fennel
6 oz chicken stock
3 oz rice wine vinegar

The next day, cover the meat with ginger ale and sliced apricots. Slow roast the meat at 250 degrees for 4 hours or so.

Combine the marinade with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 T catsup. Cook until 1/2 its original volume.

When meat seems to pull apart, remove from oven and let rest. Combine juices, apricots, etc with incipient barbeque sauce. Blend with an immersion blender.

Warm the pulled meat in the barbeque sauce and let rest while you make the slaw.
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Apricot Custard Pie with Basil

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(inspired by Wild Yeast.)
Roll out a pate brisse and put it in a deep pie pan. Finish the edge as you wish and pucture the bottom.

Soak 1 lb apricots (halfed and depitted) in cool water. Drain, pat dry, and add sugar. Arrange in the pie shell.

In a medium sauce pan, heat:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolk
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
2 leafs of basil

Let cream cool. Add:
3 teaspoons cornstarch

Pour over the apricots and bake at 350 for 35 minutes, tent with foil, and bake at least 15 more minutes or until set. (Think pumpkin pie consistency.)
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Almond-Crusted Fried Chicken

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The night before, soak 8 pieces of chicken (we used dark meat) in:
2 cups of buttermilk
1/2 cup almond milk
3 T lime juice

Drain the chicken, pat dry, and rest for 10 minutes.Dredge the chicken in 1.5 cup flour that has been seaoned with
2 T of salt
2 T paprika
2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 cup almond flour

Let the chicken rest 10-15 minutes.

Dredge the chicken in fresh buttermilk and then dredge in flour and sliced almonds

Fry in vegetable shortening (oh yes, shortening.) Or, if you go that way, lard.... Read more!

Mini Apple Rhubarb Pies

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Roughly dice
1 small tart apple
1 stalk of rhubarb

In a space sauce pan heat the fruit with
½ cup water
1 pod cardamom
1 sprinkle of nutmeg
1 sprinkle of cinnamon
1 T cane sugar (if desired)

Cook on medium until the fruit is softened.

Use cookie cutters to create rounds of pie crust that will fill mini-muffin tins (ideally, with a little crust peaking out over the tins)

Fill each pie, ¾ ths full with the rhubarb/ apple sauce. Seal each pie with another round of dough

Bake at 350 for ten minutes.
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Bacon-wrapped Roasted Chicken

adapted from Gourmet magazine

Butcher the chicken to make it flat (either by cutting out the back or by following the Gourmet magazine description (which we did).

Marinade for 2 hours in:
3 T Green Mango (vadu mango) pickle
3 crushed garlic cloves
4 T olive oil
3 T pimenton
3 sprigs of fresh oregano, roughly chopped
1 T ground cumin
pinch of allspice
juice of 2 limes
3 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup tomato juice

Drape 3-4 strips of bacon over the bird. Put in a roasting pan and weigh down with 2-3 tin-foil covered bricks. Cook for 45 minutes at 500 degrees.
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Baked Challah French Toast

Toast 1 sliced loaf of challah

In a bowl combine:
8 oz cream cheese
2-3 T brown sugar
2-3 T maple sugar

Spread the cream mixture on the challah and overlap into a pan

In a large bowl mix:
6 eggs
2 yolks
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

Pour the eggy mixutre over eggs and then weigh french toast down with another pan. Refrigerate over night.

The next morning, bake with a water bath for 60 minutes at 375 degress.

Serve with strawberries and maple syrup.

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Beet and Chocolate Nankhatai

Mix:
1 tsp cardamom powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp rose water
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup clarified butter
2 T olive oil

Add dry ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup sugar
1/2 cup grated beets
1 tsp baking powder

Make a stiff dough. (you might need a bit more oil depending)

Use teaspoons to make ovals of dough and then shape into a petal to shape like a lamp. Use a sliver of almond to look like the flame. Decorate with sanding sugar, dragees, sprinkles

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Buttercream, Vegan Saffron Pistachio

(adapted from the Cookies and Cream Buttercream from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
In a stand mixer whip the following
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoons pistachio flavoring
1 T saffron dissolved in 2 T hot water
1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer

Use this to glue the bunny together and then pipe it over the bunny. If you wish your bunny to stand up, I suggest a couple dowels.

Blogged at: http://feedingmaybelle.blogspot.com/2008/03/vegan-bunny-cake.html
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Peach, Corn and Tomato Salsa

Dice:
½ ripe peach
5-6 cherry tomatoes (I used both orange and red ones)
½ an ear of corn
½ small green chilli pepper

Add
½ - 1 tsp fresh mint

In oil, heat and then add to salsa
1 tsp mustard seeds
5 curry leaves

Toss everything, add salt and lime to taste.

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Stout Pumpkin Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Cake:
Adapted from Epicurious.com

Melt on simmer:
3/4 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cups unsalted butter
Scant 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

In a bowl, combine;
2 cups all purpose flour
1.5 cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup yogurt
1 T pumpkin pie spice
½ t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
2 t vanilla

Once the choco mixture is cooled add to the batter.

Bake at 350 until fork comes clean. Makes 9 full size cupcakes and 1-6 inch cake.

Frosting:
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, blend:
1 8oz package of cream cheese softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
½ and 1 T pumpkin puree
2 t vanilla
2 T pumpkin pie spice
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Coconut and Lime Buttercream Icing

Adapted from a recipe from Hostess Blog

Combine in a stand mixer until fluffy
8 Tbsp butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 T coconut milk (super chilled)
2 T lime juice
1 tsp lime zest, sliced into super thin strips

Add 5. 5 cups powdered sugar in ½ cup intervals beating in between

After the frosting comes together:
2 T grated coconut

Top with more lemon zest

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Caramelized Coconut Lime and Ginger Cupcakes (Egg-free)

Makes about 16 mini-cupcakes
This recipe was adapted from the mava cakes recipe from Tartelette which Helen received from her friend Bina.

First prepare, the caramelized coconut that is the basis of the flavor for the cupcakes. In the traditional recipe Helen created, she used milk. I used coconut and condensed milk instead.

In a large sauce pan, cook on simmer the following for 45-50 minutes stirring every 5-10 minutes:
1 cans (14oz each) coconut milk
1/3 cup condensed milk
2 T whole milk

It will splatter. Accept that. Put a lid on it halfway to keep the mess to a minimum. When it is a deep brown thick consistency, remove from heat and cool. (I did this in the morning and let it cool until the afternoon.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat until smooth:
1/4 cup (100gr) mava, at room temperature
3 tablespoons (85gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Add and then mix again:
Ener-G for 1 egg
3 tablespoons whole milk

Add and mix:
1/2 cup sugar
3 T jaggery, pulverized
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (use any juice too)
1 tsp dried coconut

In a large bowl, sift together:
1/ 2 cup plus 1 T flour
1/4 teaspoon (2gr) baking powder
¼ tsp lime zest (grated finely)
Sprinkle of dried galangal
pinch of salt

Put the dry ingredients into the wet in two batches. Mix thoroughly. The batter will be very thick. Spoon into buttered cupcake tins.

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Chipotle Peach Sponge Cupcake with Jalapeno Mint Cream Frosting

Chipotle Peach Sponge Cupcake
based on the plain cupcake recipe at Cookie Madness
Mix:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 T brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter (slightly cooled)
1/2 t ginger powder
1/4 t chipotle powder

Mix:
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Yolk of 1 egg, room temperature
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup peach puree

Mix the wet into the dry. Set aside.

In a blender, beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks

Fold the egg whites into the batter. Be careful not to deflate the batter.

Fill greased mini-cupcake tins until almost full. (Makes 14 mini-cupcakes)

Bake at 375 for 7 minutes. (in a convection oven)

Jalapeno Mint Cream Frosting
In a blender, puree
4-6 leaves mint
1/4 inch piece jalapeno diced

Add:
6 T cream cheese
2 T sour cream
3 T sugar
1 pinch salt

Top with Candied Jalapeno

Candied Jalapeno
Cut 1 jalapeno into cross-sections
Create a simple syrup from 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Add the jalapenos and boil for a 3 minutes. Remove and cool and repeat with same sugar. It might take 3 dips in the sugar syrup to be candied.

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Carrot Raita

Combine
1 cup yoghurt
1/4 cup grated carrots
salt

In a small skillet add oil
3 curry leaves
1 T cumin

Finish with fresh coriander leaves

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Masala Coffee Custards

(makes 6-8 depending on the glasses)

In a saucepan, combine and simmer for about 2 minutes
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cinnamom stick
10 black peppercorns
2 black cardamom pods
2 green cardamom pods

Add:
2 T honey
1/3 cup (or less) jaggery (or brown sugar)

Taste. If it isn’t sickly sweet, add more jaggery

Add:
3 egg yolks (that have been tempered)

Whip with a whisk

Add 1 packet gelatin

Chill for 4 hours

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Cole Slaw with Apricot-Ginger

Combine:
julienned purple cabbage, jicama, underripe apricots, hungarian sweet peppers, and a bit of scotch bonnet if you swing that way. (We did.)

Dress with:
finely minced ginger, rice wine vinegar and grapeseed oil.

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Masala Coffee Donuts with Espresso Cardamom Cream Filling

(Adapted from Epicurious)
makes more than 24 doughnuts

In the bowl of a stand mixer, allow to sit for ten minutes the following:
2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm whole milk (105°F to 115°F)
1/2 cup plus 2 T buttermilk at room temperature

Add to stand mixer and beat with the hook attachment:
2 eggs slightly beaten
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled to lukewarm
1 T honey

In a separate bowl combine:
4 cups all purpose flour
1 t ground cardamon
1 t freshly crushed black pepper
1/2 t almond extract
1/2 t salt

Add dry mixture to the stand mixer in small batches until it comes together in a sticky dough.

Let rise for 4 hours.

Pat out the dough into a large rectangle. Cut out rounds using cookie cutters(and then cut the whole in the middle with a smaller cookie cutters.) Let rise for 1 hour on a baking sheet.

Fry at 350 until brown.

When the doughnuts are rising make your filling.

When doughnuts are cooling, make glaze.

Cardamom Espresso Pastry Cream

Soak 1 handfull of crushed espresso beans in 2 cups whole milk for 1/2 hour.

In a sauce pan on medium whisk:
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups coffee steeped whole milk
5 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

Add:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp crushed pepper (optional)

Whisk until thickened. Chill for 4 hrs with tin foil to cover. (They say plastic wrap but it is not easy to recycle or to reuse.)

Coffee, Honey, Blackpepper Glaze

Steep 8 blackpeppercorns and 2 cardamom pods in 1/4 cup coffee for 20 minutes.

Add:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whip until smooth and then simmer.

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Fig Samosa

Sautee until oils release
1 scant T cumin
2 t coriander
1 t ginger powder
1 T fresh grated ginger

Simmer on medium until tender
3 large carrots, grated
2 small onions, diced extremely finely

Add
8 dried figs, diced very finely
salt and white pepper, to taste

Cool the mixture

Melt
1 stick butter

Butter together 3-4 sheets filo. Cut into 12 rectangles. Put a tiny dollop of the filling in and then seal the edges with butter.

Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with raita

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French Lentil Salad with Roasted Garlic Lavendar Vinaigrette

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In a grill pan or in the oven, roast 4 cloves of garlic until softened.

Boil 2 cups French Lentils

While the lentils are boiling, grill:
5 pieces of asparagus
1 head of radicchio

Dice:
grilled vegetables (though reserve the outer leaves of the radicchio as a serving vessel if desired)
4 small french radishes
1 small carrot
4-5 cherry tomatoes
small handful of parsley

Create the vinaigrette. Mash the roasted garlic. Add:
a pinch of kosher salt
1/2 t honey mustard
3-4 T cider vinegar
1-2 leaves lavender

Whisk in olive oil until a suspension is created.

Drain lentils, add to vinaigrette, toss in diced veg, add a handful of buccatini, and 1-2 fresh lavender flower roughly chopped. Add course sea salt or fleur de sel.
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Gluten-free Pancakes

Separate 2 large eggs.

Beat the whites until fluffy but not stiff.

Combine the yolks with and whip with a fork:
1 1/2 c milk
2 t vanilla extract
3 T melted ghee (cooled)

In another bowl, sift together:
1 1/3 c. GF flour (I bought storebought)
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp and a pinch baking powder
3 Tbsp. sugar

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix quickly. Fold in the egg whites.

Let batter rest for 10 minutes and then cook on a hot griddle. Serve warm.

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