Sugar-Crusted Popovers

For the puffs:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup flour

For the sugar coating:
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Softened butter, for greasing the pan

Heat the oven to 400ºF. Liberally grease a nonstick popover pan, or a muffin pan with 1/2-cup indentations, with softened butter.

For the puffs, put the 2 tablespoons melted butter, eggs, milk, salt and sugar in a blender and blend for a few seconds.  Add the flour and whizz for about 10 seconds, just until smooth. 

Divide the batter among the 9 greased molds, filling each 1/2 to 2/3rds full.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until the puffs are deep brown.

Remove from the oven, wait a few minutes until cool enough to handle, then remove the popovers from the pans and set them on a cooling rack. If they’re stubborn, you may need a small knife or spatula to help pry them out.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Thoroughly brush each popover all over with the 1/4 cup of melted butter, then dredge each puff generously in the sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat them completely. Let cool on the wire rack.

Makes about 9.


From David Lebovitz's blog

Semolina Dumplings

2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semolina
1 egg, lightly beaten
(1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese - optional)
(1 tablespoon chopped parsley or chives - optional)

Bring the water, butter and salt to boil over a moderate heat. Add the semolina, and stir until the semolina forms a ball and starts to come away from the sides of the saucepan. (This will take only seconds.)
Transfer to a bowl and don’t panic if you have a solid mass. Break it into smaller bits with a wooden spoon, add the egg, and Parmesan and/or herbs if using, and stir firmly until the mixture is smooth. The lumps will smooth out.

Bring a pot of salted water or broth to a simmer, and spoon in small balls of dumpling mixture. If you’d like, you can wet your hands and roll the scoops of semolina dough into more perfect rounds.

Allow to cook for approximately 4 to 5 minutes, or until the dumplings float. They’re now ready to serve.

Makes enough for 4 soup servings.


From Smitten Kitchen blog

Cream of Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1-pound head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup shredded Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
3 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Melt butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.  Cover and cook until onion is tender but not brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.  Add flour and stir 2 minutes.  Gradually stir in vegetable broth.  Add milk.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover partially and simmer until vegetables are very tender and soup thickens, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.  Puree soup in batches until smooth.  Return to same saucepan.  Bring soup to simmer.  Gradually add cheese, stirring until melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.


From Epicurious/ Bon Appetit, with many changes

Golden Lentil Soup

2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
9 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) red lentils
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Fry the onions gently in the olive oil in a large saucepan or pressure cooker for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are tender and just beginning to brown.  Add the lentils, bay leaf, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and 5 cups water.  Bring to the boil, then cook for 5 minutes on high pressure in a pressure-cooker, or simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the lentils are tender and pale.

Discard the bay leaf and stir in the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.


From New Vegetarian Cooking by Rose Elliot, with a few changes

Sweet Potato with Toasted Coconut (Erisheri)

3 medium sweet potatoes (1 3/4 pound total), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
2 cups water, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
1/2 cup grated dried unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small fresh green chile, slit lengthwise with stem end intact
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
10 fresh curry leaves (optional)

Bring sweet potatoes and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil with turmeric, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 3-quart saucepan, then simmer, covered, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast coconut in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until very toasted (pale reddish-brown all over; be careful not to burn). Transfer to a plate.

Break sweet potatoes up with the back of a spoon so that some chunks remain. Add toasted coconut, beans, garlic, cumin, chile, and remaining 1/2 cup water and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick and begins to stick to bottom of saucepan, add more water.

Heat oil in cleaned small heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add mustard seeds, and cook until seeds begin to pop and/or turn gray. Add red pepper flakes and curry leaves (if using), covering skillet immediately and cooking just long enough for leaves to crackle. Stir spice mixture into sweet potato mixture (it will be very thick and chunky). Season with salt.

From Epicurious/ Gourmet

Paneer

1 gallon milk
1 quart buttermilk

Rinse a large piece of cheesecloth or muslin with cold water and then fold it so it is 6 or more layers.  Arrange it in a sieve or colander placed in the sink.

Pour the milk and buttermilk into a large nonreactive saucepan.  Place over medium heat and heat, stirring the mixture frequently with a rubber spatula and making sure to scrape the entire bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.  Once the mixture is warm, stir only occasionally, gently scraping the bottom of the pan.

When the curds and whey have separated, remove the pan from the heat.  Ladle the whey and curds into the prepared sieve.  Allow the liquid to drain. 

To make solid paneer, gather up the sides of the cloth over the remaining curds.  Place something heavy and flat on top of the cloth and curds, and leave to press and drain for 2 to 3 hours.


From Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello, originally a ricotta recipe with changes

Bittersweet Brownies

8 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into several pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (1.2 ounces) all-purpose flour

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil.

Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on low power until melted, stopping and stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.  (Alternatively, place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set in a wide skillet of almost-simmering water.  Stir frequently until mixture is melted and smooth and quite warm.) 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until the eggs are thick and light colored, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the warm chocolate.  Fold in the flour. 

Scrape the batter into the lined pan and spread evenly.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool in the pan on a rack.

Invert the brownies on a rack and peel off the foil.  Turn right side up on a cutting board and cut into sixteen 2-inch squares.

Makes 16 brownies.


From Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich

Chard Paneer

7 ounces paneer, in half-inch cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee or coconut oil)

Salt

1 large bunch chard, rinsed thoroughly, stems removed and leaves chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 cup yogurt or greek yogurt

1/4 cup whole milk

Juice of half a lemon

Melt or heat the oil in a wide skillet over a medium flame until it shimmers. Add the cheese cubes in a single layer, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the cheese brown on the first side, 3-5 minutes. It will spit and hiss, so be careful. Loosen the cheese with a thin, metal spatula, and flip each cube onto a second side. Let brown on the second side, 3-5 more minutes, then sprinkle with a bit of salt and remove the cheese to drain on a double layer of paper towels. 

If the oil in the pan burned or smoked, pour it out, wipe out the pan, and add another tablespoon of oil; otherwise, you can leave the oil in the pan for the next step. 

Heat the oil over a medium flame until it shimmers, then add the onion, ginger, cumin, turmeric and paprika. Saute, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.  Add the chopped leaves and 1/4 cup water to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are tender, 5 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the yogurt, milk, and cheese cubes, gently heat over a low flame, then remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Taste, adding more salt or lemon juice if needed to bring up the flavors.

Serve over rice or with naan, garnished with cilantro and lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.

Makes about 4 servings.

From The Bojon Gourmet blog, with changes