The Silky Tomato

1 tablespoon ghee
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds
2 roasted red bell peppers, halved, seeded, and roughly chopped
3-4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups tomato puree, divided
3 cups vegetable broth
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
6 tablespoons cream
Cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Heat ghee over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and cook until golden brown.  Add garam masala and ground roasted cumin seeds.  Stir for a minute or so, until fragrant. Add peppers and tomatoes.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes.  Add 1 cup tomato puree and vegetable broth.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Puree with a hand blender.  Pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan.  Add remaining 1/2 cup tomato puree.  Reheat as needed, then season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls.  Swirl each bowl with a little cream, then top with cilantro and a sprinkling of coarsely ground pepper.

Serves 4.

Recipe by Jess, name by Sandeep

Potatoes Anna

Potatoes:

1/2 cup (65 grams) finely grated aged Pecorino Romano

1 tablespoon (10 grams) potato starch or cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, or a larger amount coarsely ground

3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter, melted, or olive oil

2 pounds (roughly 1 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick, ideally on a mandolin

Salad:

8 cups (5 2/3 ounces or 160 grams) loosely packed arugula

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

2 teaspoons (10 ml) white wine vinegar

Assemble the potatoes:  Heat oven to 375°F. Combine the cheese, potato starch or cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a small dish. Taste a pinch; you want it to have a strong salty-peppery kick, because it’s going to be distributed all over the galette.

Pour 1 tablespoon butter or oil into the bottom of a 9-inch-diameter cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, and swirl it up the sides. Arrange the potatoes in overlapping concentric circles in a single layer at the bottom of the pan. (This will use approximately a quarter of your sliced potatoes.) Drizzle with 1 teaspoon butter or oil, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cheese-pepper mixture. You’ll need to repeat this three or four times to use up your potatoes (depending on their size). At the end, you should have about 1 tablespoon cheese-pepper mixture left over; reserve this. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over the top.

To bake: Lightly coat a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover the skillet tightly with it. Put in heated oven for 35 minutes, at which point the potatoes will be almost tender. Use pot-holdered hands to press firmly on the foil to compact the potatoes a bit. Remove and reserve the foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, until lightly brown all over. Press again with the foil, remove, then briefly run under the broiler for an even golden-brown finish.

To finish and serve: While the galette bakes, toss the arugula with the olive oil and vinegar, keeping the dressing very light.

Once the galette is out of the oven, let it rest in the skillet for a few minutes before running a knife around to ensure that it is loose. Gently tip the skillet over your sink to drain any excess butter or oil. Invert it onto a plate or cutting board, then flip right side up. Cut the galette into wedges, then top with the dressed greens, and sprinkle with the reserved cheese-pepper mixture.

(Do ahead: This galette can be made up to 3 days in advance. Rewarm at 350 degrees for 15 minutes with foil on top.)

Serves 4-6.

From Smitten Kitchen blog

Modification:

Omit cheese.  Mix starch with salt, pepper, and ground roasted cumin seeds.

Rigatoni alla Norcina (Pasta with Sausage and Cream Sauce)

1 small onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
7 ounces pork or chicken sausage
1/3 cup white wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni (or other short pasta)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper

Slice the onion very finely and fry it slowly in the olive oil in a covered pan.  The onion should not be allowed to change color.  Remove the skin from the sausages and divide the meat into very small pieces.  Put the sausage pieces in the pan with the onion.  Add the wine, and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the cream, and simmer gently, uncovered, for another 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, add salt to taste, and keep sauce warm.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, following package directions.  Drain the pasta, toss with the grated cheese, and transfer to a heated serving bowl.  Stir in the sauce, add freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve at once.

Makes 4 servings.

From The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces by Diane Seed

Asparagus, Leek, and Mushroom Risotto

3 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided

1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 leek, white and light green part only, well washed and chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound asparagus, sliced 1/4 inch thick diagonally

Heat chicken stock in a small saucepan over low heat; keep warm.

In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, place 1 tablespoon of oil and heat on medium high.  Add mushrooms, salt and pepper.  Sauté until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pot, heat another tablespoon of oil and add leeks.  Cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add rice.  Stir constantly and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add wine and cook until liquid evaporates.

Add stock one to two ladles-full at a time.  Stir constantly until liquid is absorbed.  Repeat until all liquid is gone.  Once liquid is gone, check by tasting a grain to see if it is fully cooked.  If it’s not fully cooked, continue to add more stock, one to two ladles at a time.

Once rice is cooked, pour in cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Return mushrooms to the risotto.  Mix well, and keep warm.

In a separate sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of oil.  Add asparagus and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until tender but still crispy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add asparagus to the risotto and mix well.

Serves 6.

From BeMindfulBeHuman blog

Triple Coconut Donuts

3 1/2 cups (15 3/4 ounces/ 446 grams) bread flour, sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons coconut extract, divided

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1 1/4 cups canned coconut milk, divided

1 egg, beaten

Canola oil, for forming and frying

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the nutmeg in a bowl; set aside.

Combine butter, sugar, 2 teaspoons coconut extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup coconut milk, and the egg, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix until smooth.  With

the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a 6­quart saucepan until a deep­fry thermometer reads 370° F.  Using lightly oiled hands, roll about 1/4 cup batter into a loose, sticky ball; pat gently into a disk.  With your thumb, make a 1 1/2-inch hole in the center of dough.  Carefully slide the donut into the hot oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack.  Repeat with remaining dough and let donuts cool completely.

Heat oven to 350° F.  Spread coconut on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake, stirring, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes, then cool.  Alternatively, toast the coconut in a dry skillet very carefully, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Whisk remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons coconut extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup coconut milk in a bowl, then whisk in confectioners' sugar until the glaze is smooth.   

Dip the tops of the fried donuts in glaze, then in toasted coconut.  Return to rack until glaze is set.

Makes about 10-12 donuts.

Recipe from Top Pot donut shop in Seattle, via Saveur.