Fresh Cherry Crostata

Tart Dough:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) chilled unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
2 tablespoons ice water, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
4 cups pitted fresh cherries (don't pit more than an hour or two before baking)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream for egg wash
2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Make the tart dough:

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir together the ice water and vanilla and sprinkle it over the flour mixture. Pulse just until a dough forms, adding a little extra ice water if necessary. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Put a pizza stone in the oven and heat the oven to 425 F for 45 minutes. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before rolling to soften it slightly.

Place the dough round between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 13-inch round, flouring the round lightly as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Remove the top sheet of the parchment. Slide a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet under the bottom sheet of parchment.

Make the filling:

Combine the cherries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl and toss well. Fill the center of the dough round with the cherries in an even layer, leaving a border of about 1 1/2 inches. Fold the border up and over the cherries to make a rim. Brush the rim with egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Trim excess parchment with scissors.

Use the pizza peel or baking sheet to transfer the crostata, still with the parchment underneath, to the heated stone. Bake until the crust is nicely browned and the cherries are bubbling, about 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven with the peel or baking sheet and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

From Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello

Mango and Ginger Salsa

1 large mango, peeled and chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon tarragon, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Combine the chopped mango, grated ginger, sugar, tarragon, and lime juice. Store in the refrigerator until required.

Serves 2-4.

From World Food Cafe Vegetarian Bible by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott

Caribbean Rice and Beans (or Peas)

300 grams basmati rice
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey

2 14- or 19-ounce cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can of coconut milk
1 cup water
Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Mango and Ginger Salsa

Rince the rice until the water runs clear, and then place it in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Add the onion, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, honey, kidney beans, coconut milk, and water. Cover with the lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently cook until the rice is tender, adding more water if necessary. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro and Mango and Ginger Salsa.

Serves 4-6.

From World Food Cafe Vegetarian Bible by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott

Beancurd and Beansprout Spicy Salad

Marinade for tofu:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1/4 brown sugar

1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon grated ginger

300 grams/10 ounces tofu, cut into thin rectangles, pressed and patted to dry

Canola oil for frying

1 cucumber, grated

1 red bell pepper, cut into fine strips
200 grams/7 ounces beansprouts
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1-2 green chilies, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
125 grams/4 ounces shelled skinned peanuts, dry-roasted in a pan and then chopped
Handful of cilantro leaves, chopped

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the tofu and marinate for about 30 minutes (or longer if you want). When tofu is removed from marinade, reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade for the dressing.

Heat oil in a pan either to pan-fry or to deep-fry the tofu. Fry until it is fairly crispy and browned. Allow tofu to cool.

Combine grated cucumber, bell pepper strips, and beansprouts in a salad bowl.

Using about a tablespoon of the frying oil, fry the garlic and chilies for a few minutes, until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the lime juice and the reserved 3 tablespoons of tofu marinade. Stir until the dressing ingredients are combined. Remove from heat.

Add the fried tofu to the salad. Add the dressing and mix. Sprinkle with the crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro leaves.

Serves 4-6.

From World Food Cafe Vegetarian Bible by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott, with some changes

Mocha Cake with Espresso Drizzle (Sachin's 50th Birthday Cake!)

1 cup freshly brewed espresso or double-strength coffee
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
4 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups cake flour
2 2/3 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
 
Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.
 
In a medium bowl, combine the hot espresso and the cocoa powder, stirring to dissolve the cocoa. Let this mocha mixture stand until cooled to body temperature. Meanwhile, in another bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until well-mixed.
 
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. With the mixer on low, evenly blend the dry ingredients. Add the butter and the mocha mixture, beating until well-blended. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, then add the buttermilk-egg mixture in three additions, scraping well and blending only to incorporate. Divide the batter among the three prepared pans.
 
Bake the cake layers for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean but still moist. Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks. Carefully peel off the paper liners and let the layers cool completely.
 
To assemble the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a serving plate. Pour 1/2 cup of the Espresso Drizzle onto the center of the layer and spread all the way to the edge, allowing it to drip slightly over the sides. Repeat with the second layer. Set the third layer in place, then pour the remaining drizzle on top and spread to the edges, making sure the glaze drips down the sides, covering all the edges.
 
Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake, serves 12-16
 

Espresso Drizzle

12 ounces good-quality white chocolate
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 tablespoons freshly brewed espresso or double-strength coffee
 
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, or medium heatproof bowl over a pan of very hot water, or gently in the microwave.
 
Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and espresso and continue whisking until smooth. Use while warm.
 
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

From Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne, with minor changes